Three children under the age of six drowned in swimming pools in Martin County, all within three weeks.
On June 13, police received a 911 call about a 2-year-old girl who had drowned while swimming in the family pool in Hobe Sound, according to Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek.
The next day, a 5-year-old boy drowned in his neighbor’s pool on Hawthorne Street in Stuart.
Then, on the afternoon of July 1, a 1-year-old girl drowned in a pool at a Jensen Beach home.
“This is three drownings in three weeks,” Budensiek said, according to a previous article. “These are horrific incidents that we’re trying to process.”
3 child drownings in Martin County, Florida within 3 weeks
Three children under the age of six drowned in Martin County swimming pools within the past three weeks:
Drowning is the number one cause of death for children ages one to four years old in the United States
Drowning is the number one cause of death for children between the ages of one and four years old in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
For children ages 5 to 14, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death after motor vehicle crashes.
In May 2024, the CDC cited a vital signs study that saw drowning deaths on the rise after decades of decline. Each year, from 2020-2022, over 4,500 people died due to drowning, 500 more per year compared to 2019.
What to do if your child nearly drowns?
After pulling a child out of the water, you should assess if they are having difficulty breathing or are unconscious.
Even if they seem okay, it is still important to get them emergency first aid. While waiting for 911, follow these steps as outlined by CPR Educators Inc.
Water safety tips for children this summer
Safe Kids Worldwide provides water safety tips to consider this summer:
Contributing: Colleen Wixon and Olivia Franklin, Treasure Coast Newspapers
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Three children – ages 1, 2 and 5 – have drowned in Martin County in the past three weeks
Reporting by Ashley Ferrer, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Treasure Coast Newspapers
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
