When a public pool fails to maintain safe swimming conditions it is usually only a matter of time before a pool accident occurs.   Our swimming pool attorney knows that many unsafe pools are often the site of several “near misses” caused by inadequate protective measures. If not corrected, eventually those dangerous pools cause a serious drowning.  Unfortunately, all too often pool operators do not respond appropriately to those close calls—allowing unsafe conditions to persist and placing swimmers at risk.  All swimming pool owners and operators must understand those risks posed by pools. It is particularly egregious if a public pool operator is on notice that their pool poses unique dangers and then does nothing to prevent future problems.   

Just such a failure to take any corrective measures after being put on notice of a dangerous pool may have caused a drowning this afternoon at a New Jersey pool.  New Jersey News reported has just reported on the death of a 9-year-old child in a drowning at the Seaside Heights motel.  According to police the young girl was staying at the motel with her parents.    It is unclear if they were near the pool when the drowning occurred.

Witnesses indicate that the child likely spent about two minutes under the water before she was noticed by other motel guests.  Those guests pulled her out of the water and arriving police officers performed CPR.  However, the girl had spent too much time under the surface, depriving her body of oxygen.  She died shortly after being brought to a nearby hospital.

Sadly, guests at the scene indicate that a second child was actually pulled from the water less than an hour before the 9-year old girl was found.  It remains unclear exactly what caused either swimmer to struggle.  However, the fact that two children had problems in the same pool in unrelated accidents mere minutes apart suggests that conditions at the pool might not have been up to par. 

The motel swimming pool accident occurred in a pool that was 8 feet deep—though the child was pulled from a part of the water was only 5 feet deep.  There was no lifeguard on duty.  An investigation into the pool is currently underway as experts check the water’s clarity level and other conditions to determine what led to the tragic drowning. 

Our Texas swimming pool lawyer at the J. Guerra Law Firm understands that it doesn’t take very deep water or very much time for a life to be ended in a swimming accident.  There is little room for error.  Unless pool safety is prioritized at all times, there is often nothing that can be done to rescue a struggling swimmer after they’ve fallen below the water’s surface.  We encourage all victims and their families to demand accountability after one of these tragedies occurs.  It is often only through the efforts of victims that pool owners and operators enact changes to ensure the safety of future swimmers.      

See Our Related Blog Posts:

7-Year Old dies After Drowning in Camp Pool

String of Texas Swimming Pool Drownings Take Area Lives