Thursday was a tragic day for two Quebec families as two toddlers drowned in family swimming pools.

A two-year-old boy died in Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines on Thursday afternoon, while a two-year-old girl died in Saint-Remi, south of Montreal.

Marylou Rondeau died when she slipped into her family's backyard unnoticed while her parents and other family members were inside the house.

There is a fence that blocks access to the pool, but she managed to bypass the barrier.

Police say they will inspect the structure.

"We will have to check if the fence was in good shape and if the lock was working well, but it's too early to give you a conclusion about that," said Claude Denis of the Surete du Quebec.

Once Marylou was discovered relatives pulled her out of the water and a family member performed CPR until paramedics arrived.

She could not be revived.

Neighbours said her mother was incredibly distraught and had to be taken to hospital to be treated for shock.

"I saw her mother vomiting and crying and saying that she wasn't a good mother. But it was an accident -- that's it," said Maurice Mailhot.

"As soon as we will be able to meet her, we will do it. Our investigators are here actually, to try to understand what's happened," said Denis.

 

A few hours later a two-year-old boy was found unconscious in an aboveground pool on Des Colibris St. in Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines.

Relatives tried to revive him but could not. His death was confirmed shortly thereafter at St. Jerome hospital.

Neighbours held a candlelight vigil for the boy Thursday evening. .

Seven children have drowned in Quebec in recent weeks, with 44 people drowning so far this year.

Only 25 people drowned in all of Quebec in 2011.

 

The Quebec Life Saving Society says security around pools is one way to prevent drowning.

The agency also recommends parents constantly reinforce the message that swimming has to be supervised.

"Like we teach our kids to say 'Don't. Wait.,'" said Raynald Hawkins.

"We have to repeat this kind of message also with the backyard pool. 'You cannot go at the pool without the permission of mom or dad.'"

The QLSS recommends that homeowners surround their pool with a fence, which is the law for new construction.

Hawkins also suggests that backyard patios that can access a poll be surrounded by a fence, and a gate that automatically locked.