Garden Grove Toddler Drowns In Enclosed Swimming Pool

Yesterday, a Garden Grove toddler wandered through the open gate of an enclosed swimming pool and drowned, reported the Los Angeles Times. His grandmother was supposed to be watching him, but she may have become distracted, as she was also watching two other children, both of whom are developmentally disabled. Officers arrived within minutes of the accident but were unable to revive the boy. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

“Swimming accidents tend to occur most frequently in the summer months,” explained an Orange County accident attorney, “and children are the most vulnerable.”

Nationwide, injuries are the leading cause of fatalities among children 19 years old or younger—taking the lives of 33 children every day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 30% of injury-related fatalities in 2007 among children between the ages of 1 and 4 years old were caused by swimming accidents involving drowning. For children between the ages of 1 and 14 years old, drowning was the second leading cause of injury-related fatalities.

“Supervising children during activities involving water is the most effective way to prevent swimming accidents and child drowning,” advised an Orange County accident attorney.

The CDC also recommends having children wear life jackets even if they already know how to swim, learning CPR, and erecting a four-sided isolation fence around private swimming pools. While these are all excellent safety measures, only close supervision of children around pools and bodies of water will ensure the prevention of swimming accidents.

James Ballidis is an Orange County accident attorney who has written multiple articles on the prevention of swimming accidents, as well as other informative pieces on child dangers. For legal advice or to request a copy of one of his books, feel free to call 866-981-5596.