Child drownings in Florida are on pace to surpass the number in 2025, the deadliest year for child drownings in modern Florida history, according to officials and child safety experts.
Seventy-six children have died by drowning in 2026 as of July 27, according to data from the Florida Department of Children and Families. Last year, there were 119 child drowning deaths. Most of them were children 3 years old and under.
On July 20, a 2-year-old boy was found in a hot tub in Lee County while he and his mother were supposed to be napping inside, according to DCF records. A 1½-year-old girl visiting Marion County from out of state drowned in a pool when she got out of the house unnoticed on the same day. Two days before, a 2-year-old boy was found unresponsive on the bottom of a Broward County pool.
Drowning is the No. 1 cause of death for children aged 1-4 in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Florida, a fast-growing state with over a million and a half swimming pools and 825 miles of beach, is the national leader in unintentional drowning deaths for that age range.
“We’ve seen an alarming rate of drownings taking place in our community, and we’re calling on everyone to come together as a united front to prevent these tragedies from happening,” Stephen Gollan, Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Chief, said at a July 22 press conference along with the Florida Department of Health, Nicklaus Children’s Health System, the local YMCA and other community leaders.
“Please take the time to educate your children on how to swim, especially down here in South Florida.”
How many children die by drowning in Florida?
In the last ten years, 895 children died by drowning in Florida, according to data from the Florida Department of Children and Families.
Many more survived, but may have suffered serious outcomes including brain damage and long-term disabilities, the CDC said. Nearly 40% of drowning victims who make it to an emergency room require hospitalization or transfer for further care.
Florida working to teach more children to swim
Florida lawmakers in 2024 created the Swimming Lesson Voucher Program to provide free vouchers for swimming lessons from approved teachers for low-income families.
This year, they changed the eligible ages from 4 and younger to children between 1 and 7 years of age.
How to prevent accidental drownings
The Florida Department of Health urges parents and guardians to be aware of the dangers in a state where water is everywhere. Drowning can be silent and can happen in minutes.
C. A. Bridges is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida’s service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Florida child drownings on pace to exceed deadly record, how to keep safe
Reporting by C. A. Bridges, Daytona Beach News-Journal / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By C. A. Bridges, Daytona Beach News-Journal | USA TODAY Network
