Many more families are beginning to use swimming pools at this time of year as children are on summer vacation and parents look for activities to keep them busy.  Apartments, hotels, motels, community centers, water parks, and other locations are beginning to draw community members who are looking to escape the heat and participate in a classic summer activity.  A note of caution must be taken, however, as our pool accident attorneys know all too well the hidden risks that exist in so many of these pools.   

For example, last week we posted a story on the tragic swimming pool drowning death of a seven-year-old Georgia boy who was killed when others in an apartment pool failed to notice that he had drifted below the water.  While it may seem rare for a drowning to occur within feet of others, it unfortunately happens quite often. 

Just this weekend WTHR News reported on an eight-year-old girl.   The victims was killed in a community swimming pool drowning, even though she was surrounded by at least 50 other children and many adult observers.  Aalayah Willis went to the Eagle Crossing subdivision pool where some of her relatives lived.  She began using the large community pool along with dozens and dozens of others in the area.  Eventually, Aalayah began to struggle to stay above water.  However no one noticed the child at the bottom of the pool until it was too late.  Her uncle eventually saw her and pulled her out, but there was little that could be done.

There was no lifeguard on duty.  It is unclear if there was an appropriate amount of swimmers in the pool or if the pool was overcrowded.  As we mentioned last week, an overcrowded pool represents a significant danger, because it is hard for onlookers to notice any struggling swimmers when the water is jammed with moving bodies.

Our swimming pool lawyer at the J. Guerra Law Firm work every day with victims of these and similar aquatic accidents.  Proper observation of children remains a bedrock of pool safety.  In addition, it is vital that those who manage community pools ensure that everything is done to keep swimmers safe.  That includes managing the amount of people in the pool at one time to prevent overcrowding.  The consequences for failing to maintain a safe swimming pool environment are far too high to accept anything less.

See Our Related Blog Posts:

Boy Dies in Georgia Apartment Swimming Pool Accident

Apartment Pool in Phoenix Swimming Accident Should Have Been Closed