Articles Posted in Accidental Drownings

Our Chicago swimming pool accident attorneys were deeply saddened to learn the news of the deaths of two young boys who drowned this past weekend in Carbondale, Illinois.

According to the Jackson County Coroner’s Office – the authorities responsible for investigating deaths in Carbondale, Illinois – autopsy results show that the two boys drowned around 7:30 p.m. Saturday. According to NBC Chicago, the boys were 12 years-old, and 14 years-old, respectively, and were reportedly visiting friends in Illinois.

Apparently, the two boys were swimming unsupervised, and were later found at the bottom of the ten-foot swimming pool. Paramedics arrived and took the boys to a Carbondale hospital, where they were pronounced dead; at this point, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office says that the case is being investigated as an accidental drowning, reports NBC Chicago.

With Memorial Day weekend just around the corner, our Chicago personal injury lawyers want to remind people to be especially careful when preparing for summer months and swimming pool openings.

Swimming pools are a wonderful diversion in Illinois during the warmer months; however, if pools are not operated, secured, or maintained properly, serious injuries can occur.

In fact, our Chicago swimming pool accident attorneys were devastated to read that earlier this month, a nine year-old second grade girl with special needs drowned after she fell into the pool in the back yard of her family’s home. Because of her disability, she was unable to swim but was fascinated by the water. The girl’s mother found her body in the in-ground pool; though she was rushed to the hospital, it was too late to save her.

It should go without saying that those who run day-care centers must be particularly vigilant about their conduct to ensure that the children in their care remain safe. Unfortunately, the injury attorneys at our firm understand that this basic standard is often not met. As a result, children continue to be severely hurt-and even killed-by accidents that should have been prevented.

For example, the Journal Gazette reported last on a tragic drowning death involving a one-year old boy. According to the story, the toddler, Juan Cardenas, was at a day care center run by the Praise Fellowship Assembly of God when the accident occurred. The young child was supposed to be supervised closely by those leading the center. That supervision appears to be lacking. For reasons that are still being investigated, the child somehow wandered off without being noticed. It wasn’t until later that caregivers noticed that he was gone and tried looking for him. He was eventually found in the church’s baptismal font. The pool of water was uncovered and had about two feet of water inside. He was rushed to the hospital after he was found, but there was little that caregivers could do. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Of course, this is a devastating for the young child’s family and the entire community.

Unfortunately, as the investigation into the tragic toddler drowning has progressed, it has become clear that there were big warning signs about the care being provided at the church. In mid-November, the facility-which is inspected twice a year by state officials-was cited for several safety violations. Its employees did not have criminal background checks run on them. Open, unsafe, spoiled food was found in the cabinets. The changing tables used by staff members were dirty, and some of the high-chairs had broken safety straps. Clearly, an observer would be able to identify that this facility posed a risk to the children under the care of those

Our Chicago wrongful death attorneys were saddened to hear of the death of a 21 year-old University student, earlier this year. According to the Glenwood Springs Post Independent newspaper, the student drowned in the Colorado River in June 2010, while working to help build the Glenwood Canyon Resort zip line.

The student had only been working for five weeks when the accident happened. The young man and two co-workers were on the job and transporting equipment across the river in a cable car when the car they were in sagged too low and dropped into the rushing current of the river. The student was flung into the river and drowned. He had not been wearing a life jacket at the time.

At the time of the incident, the three men were traveling in the cable car to reach property across the river, with the intent of constructing three, 350-foot zip lines across the Colorado River to be used by the resort. The Glenwood Springs Post Independent reports that the young man and his fellow workers were transporting a generator, shovels and other equipment across the river when the accident happened. The cable car couldn’t sustain the combined weight of the three men and the equipment.