Community mourns deaths of two children
By Elizabeth Billips Associate Editor

Two Burke County families are mourning the deaths of their young children.

Friday afternoon, Matthew Mogel, who would have turned two in July, drowned in his family's swimming pool.

According to a report filed at the Waynesboro Police Department, the toddler apparently woke up from a nap and wandered outside through the back door.

After realizing he was no longer in bed, the boy's parents discovered his body in an aboveground pool, which is attached to their Victory Drive home by a deck.

Officers were not sure how long he was underwater but said his mother checked in on him less than 30 minutes before he went missing.

Matthew was resuscitated but later died at the Medical College of Georgia.

Two days later, another child died in his Waynesboro home.

Five-month-old Brian Ransom was found dead around 7:40 a.m. Sunday in his Perimeter Road home.

The parents told officers the baby seemed fine when he was put to bed around 10:30 p.m. and when he woke up for a bottle around 3 a.m.

According to the report filed at the Burke County Sheriff's Office, the infant was found facedown on a pillow.

Burke County Coroner Betty White said the GBI Crime Lab has performed autopsies in both cases, as is routine whenever a child dies.