The tragic deaths of both skierBode Miller‘s 19-month-old daughter and Nigerian musicianD’banj‘s 13-month-old son this month emphasize theimportance of pool safety,especially as the summer season ramps up.
Miller’s daughter, Emeline Grier, wandered into a neighbor’s backyard pool on June 9 while the family was talking to the neighbors inside their home.
D’banj’s son, Daniel III, reportedly drowned in a pool at the Afrobeats star’s home in Lagos, Nigeria, while D’banj was in the U.S. to attend Sunday’s2018 BET Awards. A family friend confirmed the news toBBC.
While he didn’t directly address the incident, D’banjcaptioned a Sunday imageof a plain black background, “Trying Times 💔🖤. But my God is Always and Forever Faithful 🙏.”
Morgan Beck/Instagram
Bode Miller and daughter Emeline
D’banj/Instagram
D’banj and son Daniel III
According to the Centers for Disease Control, children between the ages of 1 and 4 have the highest drowning rates, with most occurring in swimming pools at home. And among the children ages 1 to 4 who die of unintentional injuries, drowning accounts for one-third of the deaths.
The American Red Cross recommendsprotecting home pools with a gate. “Secure your pool with appropriate barriers. Completely surround your pool with a 4-feet high fence or barrier with a self-closing, self-latching gate. Place a safety cover on the pool or hot tub when not in use and remove any ladders or steps used for access. Consider installing a pool alarm that goes off if anyone enters the pool,” says the American Red Cross website.
The organization also emphasizes theneed to watch children closelywhen they’rearound all bodies of water, and to never allow anyone — even if they can swim — to be in the pool alone. Additionally, all pool toys should come out of the water when they’re not in use, as they often entice young kids to jump in.
Concialdi added that children often do not make a noise if they’re drowning, so parents need to stay vigilant.
“Unfortunately, children do drown without a sound. There is no yelling or screaming,” he said. “When a child jumps in the water and that child doesn’t know how to swim, they panic under water. It is extremely tragic.”
source: people.com
