A 4-year-old boy was hospitalized the evening of June 17, 2009 after a swimming pool accident at a Palm Springs resort and spa, The Desert Sun reports. Joe Cahalan, a hotel guest from Orange County, apparently saved the child's life and carried him from the swimming pool at the Spa Resort Casino, after he spotted the boy underneath the water. Cahalan told the paper that the boy was at least a foot underwater and that he may have been there for 30 or 60 seconds. The child was conscious when firefighters arrived and he was taken to an area hospital for treatment.
It's not known where the child's parents were. Apparently, the boy was with two other children, including a teenager. This is the second time in a month that a child has nearly drowned in a local hotel. On May 15, 2009, a girl was resuscitated after nearly drowning at Rancho Las Palmas Resort and Spa in Rancho Mirage.
This is a swimming pool accident that could have ended tragically for the little boy and his family. I commend Joe Cahalan for saving this boy's life. He is truly a hero. I hope and pray that the boy is recovering from injuries suffered in this Riverside County swimming pool accident. I wish him the very best for a quick and complete recovery. Please keep him in your prayers.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in 2005, 3,582 unintentional fatal drownings occurred in the United States. About 25 percent of these deaths involved children 14 or younger. Four times as many children receive emergency department care for nonfatal injuries for every child that dies. In 2005, of all children aged 1 to 4 who died in the United States, 30 percent died from drowning. The National Center for Injury Prevention, in 2006, noted drowning to be second only to car accidents as the most common cause of death in children aged 1 to 14.
Near drowning swimming pool accidents should not be taken lightly. Young children can be left with catastrophic brain injuries after a near-drowning because very often this cuts oxygen supply to the brain. The cost of treating these brain injuries can be extremely high and could run into millions of dollars.
As far as this Riverside County swimming pool accident is concerned, it is important to look into the circumstances under which it occurred. Who was responsible for the child at the time? Was there any negligence on the part of the hotel or its employees? If the child's parents believe that their child's swimming pool accident injuries were caused by someone's negligence, they would be well-advised to consult with experienced California personal injury attorneys, who will give them more information about their legal rights and options.
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