#NJ family found dead in backyard pool died from drowning

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Three people using an above ground swimming pool at 43 Clearview Road in East Brunswick, New Jersey, drowned.
Gregory P. Mango

The three family members found dead in a New Jersey backyard pool on Monday all accidentally drowned, authorities said Tuesday.

Bharat Patel, 62, his 33-year old daughter-in-law Nisha Patel and her 8-year-old daughter were identified as the three victims, Chief Frank LoSacco of the East Brunswick Police Department said.

The trio all lived at the the East Brunswick home, where their lifeless bodies were discovered in their above-ground pool on Monday afternoon, authorities said.

It was not immediately clear how deep the pool is.

Authorities were investigating the possibility the family members had been electrocuted and had called an electrician to the house on Clearview Road to rule out the possibility, law-enforcement sources said.

The Middlesex County regional medical examiner’s office then determined Tuesday afternoon they had all drowned in the pool.

Neighbors on the street said the family had only moved into the house a few weeks ago.

Property records show that it was bought for $451,000 by Akash and Nisha Patel in late April.

The former owner who sold the house earlier this year insisted to The Post that there had been no problems with the pool before.

Police had been called to the home around 4:20 p.m. when a neighbor heard screaming, thinking someone had fallen, police said.

“We believe the mother was screaming from inside the pool for help,” police spokesman Sutter said at a press conference.

Mayor Brad Cohen told NJ.com that the “entire East Brunswick community is shocked and saddened.”

“Our condolences go out to the family and may they find strength from the community that shares in their grief,” Cohen said.

Additional reporting by Kevin Sheehan