The 17-month-old grandson of golf great Jack Nicklaus died Tuesday in an apparent drowning at the toddler’s home near North Palm Beach, a Sheriff’s Office spokesman said.
Jake Walter Nicklaus, son of Steven and Krista Nicklaus, was pronounced dead at 6:31 p.m. after an almost 90-minute effort to revive the toddler, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Paul Miller said.
The apparent drowning occurred in the family’s hot tub at their home in the 12100 block of Captains Landing, just north of North Palm Beach.
The boy, his 4-year-old brother Steve Jr. and their 25-year-old live-in nanny had been in the hot tub and decided to go back inside, Miller said.
While the nanny was getting dressed, she realized she couldn’t find Jake. She went outside and found the toddler in the hot tub.
The sliding glass door leading to the back yard had been left open.
She and county Fire-Rescue paramedics performed CPR on the toddler before he was taken to Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center, where he died.
Miller said a baby-proof barrier surrounded the hot tub and connecting swimming pool, but the door leading to the hot tub had been left open. Jake went through the opening, climbed two steps and went into the hot tub.
Officials refused to release the nanny’s name, saying only that she had been working at the home since November and lived there.
There was no trauma or any sign of foul play, Miller said. The county medical examiner was expected to perform an autopsy this morning. Once the Medical Examiner’s Office releases its findings and investigators complete their work, the results will be submitted to the State Attorney’s Office, Miller said. Charges could be brought.
Jake was one of 16 grandchildren of golf legend Jack Nicklaus. All five of Nicklaus’ sons live within 10 minutes of their famous father and mother, who remain in the home they built at Lost Tree Village in North Palm Beach 35 years ago, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported in 2003. Jake’s father, Steven, works for the Nicklaus Companies.
Shahien Nasiripour can be reached at or 561-243-6531.
