Death by Distraction
It is a story of both heartbreak and heroism. Two brothers drowned in their backyard pool in Bakersfield, California last year while their mother was at work. It is assumed that the four year old big brother jumped into the pool to save his one year old little brother, who must have wandered over to the pool and fallen in. The boys’ bodies were both found at the bottom of the pool.
While there were two individuals watching the boys, one was asleep and the other was using the restroom during the time the boys drowned in their backyard. Unfortunately, it only takes a few minutes of distraction for devastating tragedies like these to occur. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) “every day about ten people die from unintentional drowning. Of these, two are children aged 14 or younger. Drowning ranks fifth among the leading causes of unintentional injury death in the United States.”
It is all too easy to get distracted and lose sight of where our kids are or for them to be messing around the pool and accidentally fall in. Accidents like these produce deep guilt and grief and can be avoided by taking precautions, always knowing where our children are, enforcing rules, and setting up handy safeguards such as gates around our backyard pools.
Swimming pool accidents are not uncommon, especially as we head into the warmer months of summer. During the dark time following a family member’s drowning accident, you desperately need help. If your family is recovering from a devastating situation like this, consult an Austin personal injury lawyer for the advice you need. Give the Loewy Law Firm a call today and we promise you all the care and support we can give.