MARTIN COUNTY — A 1-year-old girl who drowned in her family’s pool in Jensen Beach on July 1 was the third child to drown in Martin County within three weeks.
While watching the girl, her grandmother went out to the back porch area of the home to wash her feet, Sheriff John Budensiek said July 2. He said the location of the girl during that time is unknown.
At some point, the grandmother lost track of where the girl was and called 911 to report a missing child. Over the phone, dispatchers could hear the grandmother going from room to room looking for the girl. They asked her if she had a pool and if she had checked it for the child.
She looked in the area of the pool, but did not initially see the child. Moments later dispatch heard her screaming ‘Oh my God’ several times before the phone line cut off.
Just after 3:30 p.m., Martin County Fire Rescue got a call about a toddler in a pool in the 200 block of Northeast Flax Terrace in Jensen Beach, according to Fire Rescue spokesperson Cory Pippin.
When the first deputy arrived on scene the grandmother had already gotten the girl out of the pool and begun giving her CPR. Budensiek said deputies on scene had not been answering their radios, so the Sheriff’s Office pulled their body cam footage and saw they were preforming life saving measures on the girl.
Fire rescue crews arrived on scene and took over life saving measures from the deputies. The girl was transported to Cleveland Clinic Martin North Hospital in Stuart where she was pronounced dead shortly after arriving.
Budensiek said some of the deputies, fire rescue personnel, nurses, and doctors on this call also worked on one or both of the other child drownings that have happened in the last three weeks.
“They are dealing with the emotional scars of having to see that,” Budensiek said.
In all cases, at least one adult was in the vicinity as caregiver of each child who drowned over the past three weeks.
On June 14, Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the 3400 block of Southeast Hawthorne Street in Stuart regarding a 5-year-old boy who drowned in his neighbor’s swimming pool, according to the incident report.
On June 13, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home in the 9000 block of Southeast Mars Street in Hobe Sound regarding a 2-year-old girl who drowned in her family’s swimming pool, according to the incident report.
After the second drowning, Budensiek offered words of caution.
Anyone who owns a pool, lives near a pool, or is a parent, grandparent or babysitter, should make sure the pools are safe, he said.
“Make sure your pools are secure. Make sure you don’t take for granted that your child knows how to swim. Don’t take for granted that the flotation devices are working,” he said. “We have to work together to prevent these tragedies from happening in the future.”
Some Water Safety Tips from Centers for Disease Control
1- Learn basic swimming and water safety skillsFormal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning. Children who have had swimming lessons still need close and constant supervision when in or around water.2- Build fences or screening that fully enclose poolsConstruct and use a four-sided fence that is at least 4 feet in height and fully encloses the pool.
3- Remove all toys from the pool area that might attract children to the pool when the pool is not in use.
4- Supervise closelyDesignate a responsible adult to supervise closely and constantly when children are in or near water (including bathtubs). You can assign a specific adult to supervise each child when they have access to water. Adults watching kids in or near water should avoid distracting activities like reading, using the phone, and consuming alcohol or drugs, because drowning happens quickly and quietly.
5- Shut and lock doors that give access to water, after swim time is over. Be proactive and learn about any risks when visiting another home or unfamiliar location. Adults should supervise children closely even when lifeguards are present.
6- Wear a life jacketLife jackets reduce the risk of drowning for people of all ages and swimming abilities. Life jackets should be used by children for all activities while in and around water. Do not rely on air-filled or foam toys, as these are not safety devices.
7- Learn CPRYour CPR skills could save someone’s life in the time it takes for paramedics to arrive. Many organizations such as American Red Cross and American Heart Association offer CPR training courses, both online and in-person.
8- Avoid alcoholAvoid drinking alcohol before or during swimming, boating, or other water activities. Alcohol impairs judgment, balance, and coordination. Do not drink alcohol while supervising children.
Olivia Franklin is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Olivia on X @Livvvvv_5 or reach her by phone at 317-627-8048. E-mail her at olivia.franklin@tcpalm.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: ‘We have to work together to prevent these tragedies:’ Safety tips after drownings in Martin
Reporting by Olivia Franklin, Treasure Coast Newspapers / Treasure Coast Newspapers
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