By John Bisnar on May 15, 2013 -
A 6-year-old boy was injured after he nearly drowned in an Irvine swimming pool accident. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, Orange County Fire Authority officials responded to a community swimming pool near the intersection of Dovecreek and Royal Oak the afternoon of May 12, 2013.
Witnesses told officials that the boy had been swimming with several other children when someone noticed he was not moving and pulled him out of the water. An off-duty nurse who was nearby began CPR on the boy and was able to get him breathing again before paramedics arrived. The boy was transported to a local hospital for observation. Read the rest »
By John Bisnar on August 30, 2012 -
Penelope Thomas, a 1-year-old girl, suffered fatal injuries in a swimming pool accident at a Huntington Beach home. According to The Orange County Register, the incident occurred the morning of August 29, 2012 in the 6800 block of Seaway Circle. When emergency personnel arrived, the child was in the pool and was not responsive. The girl was transported to an area hospital where she was pronounced dead. It is not clear how the child fell into the pool. Earlier this week, 6-year-old Tony Avina Jr. died after he drowned in the pool of an apartment complex in Fountain Valley. The boy was with family visiting residents of the complex and had been playing with friends in the pool at the time.
I offer my deepest condolences to the family members of Penelope Thomas for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
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By John Bisnar on August 28, 2012 -
Tony Avina Jr., 6, died from injuries suffered in a swimming pool accident at a Fountain Valley apartment complex, The Orange County Register reports. Officials say the incident occurred the evening of August 27, 2012 at the Pacific Woods Apartments in the 16500 block of Harbor Boulevard. Paramedics responded to reports of a near drowning incident at the location. The boy was taken to Fountain Valley Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Officials are still investigating the cause of the drowning.
I offer my deepest condolences to the family members of Tony Avina Jr. for their heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
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By John Bisnar on June 12, 2012 -
Serena Mae Earls, 2, was killed in a San Bernardino swimming pool accident in her family’s backyard. According to a news report in The Press Enterprise, the fatal drowning incident occurred in Apple Valley the morning of June 9, 2012. Officials say Serena was found in the deep end of the pool. She was pulled out of the water by a relative and given CPR before being pronounced dead at a nearby emergency facility. It is unclear at this time how the incident occurred or how it could have been prevented.
My heart goes out to the grieving family of little Serena Mae Earls following this tragic incident. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
Drowning Statistics
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that about 10 people die every day as a result of unintentional drowning in the United States. Of those fatalities, two are children aged 14 or younger. For every child killed in a drowning incident, five others require emergency department care. Near drowning incidents can cause catastrophic injuries including brain injury.
Drowning Prevention
Based on this news account, the tragedy happened in the family’s own swimming pool. This type of accident is unfortunately all too common. Pool owners can help prevent unintentional drowning incidents by not only having fencing around the backyard, but also pool fencing with a self-latching gate. Anytime a child has access to a pool, there must be close supervision. In fact, children need to be supervised near pools, bathtubs, toilets, buckets, ponds and any location where water is present. Pool owners should install alarms on backyard doors and on pool gates to alert them if a child gets out of the house. There have been tragedies where young children have slipped out of doggy doors and ended up drowning in a backyard pool. Constant supervision is another important part of preventing these drowning incidents.
Liability Issues
Under California Law, all swimming pool owners, private and public, must have drowning prevention safety features on their property. When a swimming pool accident occurs due to unsafe conditions on the property or because a person charged with watching the child failed to provide proper supervision, then, the property owner as well as the other negligent party can be held liable. If your child has been injured in a swimming pool accident as a result of someone else’s negligence, an experienced San Bernardino personal injury lawyer can help you better understand your legal rights and options.
By John Bisnar on June 28, 2011 -
Sophia Pham-Chang, 2, of Diamond Bar was killed in an Orange County swimming pool accident after she was found unresponsive in the bottom of the pool. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the swimming pool accident occurred on South Heath Terrace in Anaheim, the evening of June 26, 2011. Adults and children were all around the pool area but no one saw the toddler fall into the pool. The family administered CPR and emergency crews brought her to a nearby hospital but she succumbed to her injuries that night. Officials say the pool floor was colored black, which may have prevented the adults from spotting the child in the water sooner. An investigation is ongoing.
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By John Bisnar on June 2, 2011 -
A 2-year-old boy was hospitalized after he suffered serious injuries in a swimming pool accident. According to a report in the Los Angeles Daily News, the swimming pool accident occurred off North Cerrillos Drive in Woodland Hills the afternoon of May 31, 2011. The young victim was conscious when he was put aboard the helicopter that airlifted him to UCLA Medical Center. He is said to be in stable condition. It is unclear how the 2-year-old fell into the pool or how long he was in there.
My thoughts and prayers are with the young victim of this swimming pool accident. I wish him a complete and speedy recovery.
Swimming Pool Accidents
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drowning is the second leading cause of all unintentional deaths for children aged 1 to14. Drowning is the leading cause of death for infants in 14 states, including California. Children under the age of 5 are 14 times more likely to be involved in a fatal swimming pool accident than a fatal car crash. Read the rest »
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