Font ResizeA mother fell asleep as her children, ages 3 and 5, played and watched television. When she awoke, both boys were missing. She called police.
After searching the house, the officers went outside. Peering over a neighbor's 4-foot fence, they found the boys -- both laying at the bottom of the neighbor's in-ground pool. After failed attempts to resuscitate them, they were pronounced dead.
This incident occurred in New Jersey in late June, but it could have been anywhere.
According to the National Safe Kids Campaign in Washington, D.C., drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 1 to 4. The majority of drownings and near-drownings occur in residential swimming pools and in open water sites. However, children can drown in as little as one inch of water and are therefore at risk of drowning in wading pools, bathtubs, buckets, diaper pails, toilets, spas and hot tubs.
Drowning usually occurs quickly and silently. Childhood drownings and near-drownings can happen in a matter of seconds and typically occur when a child is left unattended or during a brief lapse in supervision.
Following the drowning death of another young child in Massachusetts just this week, WBZ-radio followed a city building inspector as he knocked on the doors of people whose home swimming pools did not meet required safety regulations.
In one instance, the homeowner replied that she had just moved in and didn't know what the
Swimming pools are a serious matter. If you have one, keep it out of the reach of children. If you have a young child, don't leave them unattended for even a minute.
What's the comment we hear most often from the parent or caretaker whose child is dead or missing, "I only took my eyes off her for a second."
That's all it takes.
