Tennessee Family Mourns Twin Toddlers Who Drowned in Pool While at Day Care

A Tennessee family is mourning the death of twin toddlers who drowned in a swimming pool while at day care last week. 

Elijah and Elyssa Orejuela were found Friday at about 10 a.m. in the backyard pool of Om Baby day care in West Knox County after a worker went looking for them. Both were in the water and unresponsive, according to the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. 

They were rushed to the East Tennessee Children’s hospital where Elyssa died the same day. Elijah was placed on life support but died Sunday.

"It is with much heartbreak that I tell you that Elijah has gone to be with his sister," The twins’ mother, Amelia Wieand wrote after his death. "They were formed in my womb and grew together. She was his other half. They were soulmates. They never were apart."

The twins were just shy of their second birthday which would have been in August.

The Tennessee Department of Human Services had issued the day care center an injunction in May, saying that its owner, Jennifer Salley, was unlicensed to operate a childcare facility, police said. 

Without a license, the center could not take care of more than four unrelated children at periods longer than three hours, according to the law.

Knox County Sheriff’s Office said the case is currently an open investigation.  InsideEdition.com’s request for comment was not returned by the Department of Human Services.

The twins' mother also announced the family would donate Elijah’s organs.

"They are my everything," Wieand said “I will never understand this, and I'm not sure how to live with this pain. Please continue to pray. I don't know how to move forward ... we are living moment by moment.”

Family friend, Erin Fielden told InsideEdition.com, that "Elyssa was really daddy’s princess. Elijah was definitely more of mama's boy. Very much so. They were both perfect. Just perfect."

A GoFundMe campaign set up for the family has already raised $38,000 of its $50,000 goal. 

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