Four women sprang into action Saturday, saving the life of an 11-year-old girl who was found at the bottom of an apartment complex swimming pool.

Shortly before 4 p.m., Patricia Jimenez of Santa Ana went swimming in the Parkland Apartments pool in Irvine. She had just finished a potato salad lunch with her mother, two sisters and family friend Berit Hinkle, 57, a Parkland resident.

Another group of children was celebrating a birthday at the pool. According to witnesses, about 15 kids were swimming and six adults were on the pool deck.

"(Patricia) had just called to us to say hi," said Hinkle.

Moments later, they saw her at the bottom of the 5-foot-deep pool. Bystander Marleen Basham pulled her out by the hair.

"She was completely blue, and the girl who was with me took her pulse and said she didn't have a pulse. She wasn't breathing," said resident Kirsten Rosales, 31.

Rosales, who is certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, began chest compressions and yelled for help.

Neighbor LeAnne Cirivello, 31, also CPR trained, began breathing air into Patricia's lungs.

The girl responded with shallow gasps for air and then stopped again, said Cirivello. Lavonda Martinez, a nurse who lives in the complex, arrived and began coaching the rescuers. They continued CPR, and Patricia started breathing again.

Paramedics arrived and gave her oxygen and at that point she began moaning, said Cirivello.

"It would have been a drowning (without the rescuers) instead of a near drowning," said Kirk Summers, spokesman for the Orange County Fire Authority.

Patricia was taken to Irvine Regional Hospital Medical Center and transferred to Children's Hospital of Orange County in Orange, where she was in good condition Saturday night, officials said.

"(We're) just very, very grateful that they were there and so quick to come to the rescue," said Hinkle.

Rosales and Cirivello both said they were happy to have.

"I'm really happy I was out there. Maybe somebody else would have done it, but nobody was. They were just standing around not knowing what to do," said Rosales.