5-year-old twin sisters on vacation drown in pool at family’s rental home

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (WESH) - Authorities in Florida say a pair of 5-year-old twin sisters on vacation drowned in the pool at their family’s rental home.

The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office says a family from Atlanta was on vacation at a short-term rental home in Kissimmee. The twins were found unconscious around 11 a.m. Friday in the home’s backyard pool, just hours after the family arrived.

The girls were taken to a nearby hospital, where they were pronounced dead.

Gerald Dupont, who lives next door to the home, described what he witnessed.

“The lady’s screaming, ‘Oh, no, they’re not breathing.’ Whoever it was… she was really upset, and I feel sorry for her. My heart breaks over something like that. I wouldn’t know what would happen if it was one of mine," he said.

Authorities say a 15-year-old was put in charge of watching the twins while their parents went to the grocery store.

“This is horrific. This is a tragedy at its worst. These people came on vacation, and unfortunately, they’re leaving without two of their members,” said Kim Montes, public information officer for the sheriff’s office.

The investigation is ongoing.