Brothers Drown In North Lauderdale Apartment Pool

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) - Two brothers are dead after they drown in an apartment complex's pool in North Lauderdale.

The boys, five-year-old Branario Joseph and six-year-old Jakye Joseph, were found face down in the pool Wednesday night in the complex at 1200 SW 50th Avenue.

The boy's mother Wildine Joseph broke down at the pool Thursday morning weeping, she screamed "I'm sorry, I was sleeping and didn't get there fast enough!"

"I wasn't there to save them but they're in a better place now. That's all that matters. I will always miss my babies. I'm sorry Jakye, I'm sorry Benario. They were only five and six, I lost my babies too early," she said through tears.

Joseph said she pulled one of her children from the water while the children's father attempted life-saving CPR on the other, but was unsuccessful.

"I ran over there and saw two children laying on the side of the pool, the kids were on the floor and they were giving them CPR," said one neighbor.

Joseph said the last she knew her boys were playing outside and the pool was locked. She said they must have jumped the gate.

She said her oldest son was learning how to swim and thought he could do it.

"He thought he could swim but they cannot swim, I think the brother tried to help him so he jumped in too," said Joseph.

The boys were rushed to a hospital but didn't survive.

Late Thursday afternoon people who knew the boys dropped off flowers at the pool as they mourned the deaths.

Marie Fleming, who lives across the pool said she heard the commotion on Wednesday night, ran out to unlock the pool gate and called 911.

"To find out they both died, is really hitting me hard," she said.

The Broward Sheriff's Office says child welfare workers removed two other children — a 1-year-old and a 4-month-old — belonging to the mother of the dead boys. There is a court hearing scheduled for Friday to determine where the other two children of this mother will live.

The Department of Children and Families told CBS4 they do have a history with the family of the boys who drowned. They would not elaborate on what that history entails.