LOS ANGELES (AP) — The 19-month-old daughter of U.S. Olympic skier Bode Miller drowned in a Southern California swimming pool, authorities said Monday.
Emeline Miller died at an Orange County hospital Sunday, the day after paramedics tried unsuccessfully to revive her after the drowning incident.
“We are beyond devastated,” Miller said in an Instagram post that showed several photos of the blonde, blue-eyed, chubby-cheeked toddler.
In a video, Emmy, as she was known, was being kissed on the check by her mother Morgan, a former professional beach volleyball player, as she repeatedly said, “Hi Dada.”
One photo showed her covered in suds in a tub and another showed her smiling as she pushed two baby dolls in a pink stroller on a street with large homes in the background.
“Never in a million years did we think we would experience a pain like this,” Miller said in the post. “Her love, her light, her spirit will never be forgotten. Our little girl loved life and lived it to its fullest every day.”
The death was under investigation, Orange County sheriff’s spokeswoman Carrie Braun said.
Paramedics were called to a home in the upscale enclave of Coto de Caza just before 6:30 p.m. Saturday, said Capt. Tony Bommarito of the Orange County Fire Authority.
They tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate the girl and rushed her to an emergency room, Bommarito said.
“They had no pulses the whole way,” Bommarito said. “It didn’t end well.”
The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team tweeted its condolences to Miller and his family.
Miller, 40, is the most decorated male U.S. skier with six Olympic medals, including gold at the 2010 Vancouver Games in the super combined. At the 2014 Sochi Games, he was the oldest Alpine skier — at age 36 — to earn a medal.
Despite his skill on skis, he has been known at times for eye-raising comments and behavior, claiming he had raced in a World Cup event while still drunk from partying the night before.
Miller, who has three other children, asked for privacy for the family in his Instagram post.
U.S. Ski & Snowboard tweeted its condolences to Miller and his family. Miller has worked as an analyst for NBC Sports, most recently at the PyeongChang Olympics.
