Mendocino County man arrested following near drowning at Ukiah hotel

A Boonville man has been arrested on suspicion of felony child endangerment following a near drowning at a Ukiah hotel swimming pool.

Ricky Layne Owens, 49, told investigators he was teaching a 6-year-old relative how to swim Monday night at the Fairfield Inn & Suites pool when the boy became unresponsive, according to the Ukiah Police Department. Witnesses downplayed the circumstances, but a hotel video surveillance recording of the incident showed Owens placing the child in distress multiple times over several minutes, police said. Owens continued the practice until the boy became unconscious and limp, police said.

The boy was pulled from the swimming pool, resuscitated and flown to Oakland Children’s Hospital. The child was released from the hospital Wednesday and is expected to make a full recovery, police said.

Owens was booked Friday into the Mendocino County Jail on suspicion of felony endangering a child or causing or permitting a child to suffer physical pain, mental suffering or injury, police said. He was held Friday on $50,000 bail.

Authorities obtained an emergency protective order prohibiting Owens from contacting or being near the child. Police have not said exactly how the man and the child are related.