Child drowns at Great America theme park

[mindwalker_i]

On my way to and from the train each morning, I go by the Great America theme park. It has a bunch of roller coasters and a water park, including a wave pool. I've been to wave pools before and they're a lot of fun.

I saw an article in a paper at the train station about a boy drowning in the wave pool, then later at home, found the following article:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/07/13/BAGRNR0KBO3.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea

So a mother goes to GA with her 7-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son. The son was in the wave pool without any sort of floation device. He apparently came out for some chips (good, American-boy food) and went back in. When he didn't come back again in 10 minutes, the mother asked her daughter to go find him. According to her, the boy was in the 2-foot part of the pool.

The mother of this child is now blaming GA, saying essentially that they didn't do their job. A quote from her in the above article:

"I want this to be known," Flores, 27, said between sobs. "I want to warn all parents that they need to watch their kids at all times because (Great America) doesn't do their job."

The problem isn't that GA doesn't do their job, it's that they don't do HER job! Who in God's name lets their 4-year-old into a wave pool without a floatation device and at absolute best, the supervision of a 7-year-old? I'm going to take a page from what republicans say (as opposed to what they DO) and say this woman needs to take a big-ass dose of personal responsibility. The two-foot section is still going to get blasted with 4-foot high waves, and how could anybody think that a 4-year-old is going to be ok with that?

This is the kind of person who would leave her kids (the two remaining, 7 and 2) in front of the TV while she goes of and does whatever, then complain that there are things on the TV that are not appropriate for children and that the execs of the station aren't doing their jobs as day care workers for the entire country. Then they'll say the same thing about the internet and how, well somebody, should be looking out for the children. Well I have some news for her: IT'S THE WORLD! There's stuff in the world! And part of being a parent is training her kids to be able to survive in this world, helping them out until their capable of judgement concerning their interactions with said world or at least until they're 18.

</rant>
-mwalker

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

1. Bad mother! Bad, bad...

MKJ

[EFerrari]

2. What a terrible story. I took my boys there many times when

they were actually boys. Oh lord. :(

[mzmolly]

3. And these parks won't allow kids to wear floation devices?

That pisses me off. I don't get that logic, sorry. We had a drowning locally recently at a man made lake where kids cant wear life vests.

So very sad.

[mindwalker_i]

5. RE: and these parks won't allow...

No, they recommend them, but don't require them. The mother just let her kid in the wave pool and ignored him after that (at least for 10 minutes). The pool was crowded (surprise!), including people with inner-tubes.

-mwalker

[mzmolly]

8. Not in my area. We are asked to REMOVE them.

Bizarre I know.

[mindwalker_i]

11. RE: not in my area

I would very definitely agree that that's pretty messed up. I would cross the line and say the park is either responsible for keeping anyone under 10 out of the pool then, of they are liable. Not the case here.

-mwalker

[Rosemary2205]

58. I'd refuse to let the kids swim there then.

If they want to say no to floating toys that's one thing. But lifevests or water wings is a whole other thing. Parents should not be taking kids to a watering hole that specifically disallows lifevests or waterwings. Period. All one has to do is get this information ahead of time before even telling the kids they are going to go.

When I had foster kids we always called asked about lifevests/water wings beforehand - we scrubbed a trip to Discovery Cove in Florida and did something else specifically because they do not allow lifevests. The kids never even knew it was considered and enjoyed what we did instead.

[Cha]

60. So many kids have been lost

in "crowded pools"..even home pool parties. How sad!

The moral of the story is ..never leave your children unattended by yourself when they are in a potentially dangerous environment. Seemingly safe environment can be scarey enough.

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. Yeah, what's up with that?

Why no flotation devices?

[mzmolly]

9. I have no idea. I thought perhaps they felt that parents would be lax?

But, I don't think that's reasonable if that's the rationale. There is still good reason to supervise a child in such conditions.

[XemaSab]

70. In this article they said

that Great America recommends flotation devices for children in the wave pool. They also recommend that children under 4 feet stay out of the pool.

They don't mandate, but they recommend. I feel that is about to change soon.

[Lady President]

34. In a pool there shouldn't be flotation devices

As a former lifeguard, flotation devices often make pools more dangerous.

First, floaties leak which results in that child be in more danger because they become heavier.

Second, they are distracting for lifeguards.

Third, both the child and the parent become overly confident that the child is safe. Parents don't watch their children as vigilantly if they assume that the child is safe. (I don't think this is bad parenting, but realistic-- you are less nervous with a child playing in your own fenced backyard, then a public park.) Similarly, because the child won't feel the need to be able to touch the ground, they will drift into deeper waters which makes for a harder rescue.

Fourth, the pool becomes more dangerous for other swimmers. Coupled with the distracted lifeguard, it's harder to see the bottom of the pool. This is hard enough in a crowded pool, but with several children with floaties playing together, it becomes impossible to see the one that is at the bottom underneath them.

IMO, part of the problem is the fact that lifeguards are paid minimum wage and are teenagers. I still think that being a lifeguard was the best job I've ever had, but there is a lot of responsibility to it. These huge water parks could easily afford to hire some people in their 30s+ with tons of experience, especially for more dangerous portions of the park.

*** Note: Put lifejackets on adults, kids, and pets while boating.

[mzmolly]

42. Some of your points made sense. I don't agree with all of them, but many.

I appreciate knowing there is logic behind the "rule" however. That said, it's my guess that there would be fewer deaths with life jackets allowed? Not sure if I'm correct on that. Perhaps they need separate areas so that kids can't float away while wearing them? I don't think that the air devices should be used as they do leak, but solid materials as are found in vests don't.

[tammywammy]

43. I think he was talking about the air filled floaties

not life jackets. Most water parks allow life jackets and this park where the boy drowned had them free of charge.

[mzmolly]

46. Well in our area, no live jackets are allowed.

Which makes no sense.

[tammywammy]

48. That doesn't, I agree

I wouldn't take children there then.

[mzmolly]

56. It seems to be almost across the board. I also just realized I said "live" jackets.

OOPS. I need some caffeine!

[tammywammy]

61. I know how you feel

Well, that's really sad that they don't allow life jackets. I just couldn't imagine a water park that doesn't.

[mzmolly]

62. It seems they open themselves up to more liability by not doing so huh?

:(

[Exultant Democracy]

44. If you go to the link you will find that the park had life vest and encoraged

their use for children under 4 feet tall.

[mzmolly]

47. Wow, very good to know.

Thanks.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. "There's stuff in the world!"

Maybe we should tattoo that on every new parent's forehead.

I hear you. I went to the zoo today. Same deal. Little kids everywhere, many moms ignoring them. The kids who were being supervised were in strollers and about half of them were screaming because they were hungry or needed a nap. And what is with all these strollers anyway? Sheesh some of them were larger than a couple cars I have owned.

[Clark2008]

30. Speaking as the Mom of an 8-year-old and a newborn, I like

the huge strollers. You can take all that crap you need just to bring a baby out of the house with you (diapers, wipes, bottles, formula and/or ice for expressed milk, changing pad, cleaners, lotions, change of clothes, change of clothes for Mom in case she gets some bodily fluid on her, etc.). The strollers have tons of storage space for the monster diaper bags. This saves a lot of wear and tear on your back!

Seriously, having a newborn means having to take half the house with you when you go ANYWHERE. LOL!!

[proud2BlibKansan]

35. When my kids were little we just didn't go out much

Perhaps times have changed.

Really I have no beef with these mega strollers, I just wish most of the parents pushing them were a little more courteous to the rest of us who aren't pushing strollers.

[Liberal_in_LA]

7. She'll probably sue and the park will pay out.

[mindwalker_i]

10. RE: sue the park

Yup, she's already threatening a lawsuit. Incidently, I wrote GA an e-mail with a longer rant, asked them to counter-sue for defamation of character, and offered to stand outside and ask each person if they were voluntarily retarded (my appologies to the disabled here), and whether they expected to be relieved of any duties related to them being the "responsible adult."

-mwalker

[mzmolly]

12. I'm reminded of a parent who let her two year old play in the parking lot of the

housing unit she lived in. She and her family members were angry with the driver of the car who backed over the poor child.

Indeed, people are stupid, to the detriment of their children.

[Liberal_in_LA]

25. Few years ago... a small child got out the door at night, went to the railroad tracks was killed

Last I heard, parents were going to sue someone: Amtrak or city or someone.

It's someone else's fault that their toddler left the house and was hit by train at night.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

14. "(I)offered to stand outside and ask each person if they were voluntarily retarded". Productive

endeavor, that.

I'm feeling obligated to add :sarcasm: MKJ

[mzmolly]

13. Did she think that it was "the job" of the theme park to care for every child?

Absolutely amazing. On edit, she was talking about the lack of life guards on duty, which is a valid concern. That said, she is ultimately responsible for her FOUR year old.

Flores, 27, said there were only four lifeguards at the pool at the time and that her 8-year-old daughter, Jasmine, was the one who spotted the boy underwater after he apparently had been there for several minutes.

"That's a lie that there were six," Flores said. "There's four lifeguards there. How can they not see my son? There's three walking and one sitting. They weren't doing their job. He was in 2 feet of water. How could he drown?

[XemaSab]

71. He was in 2 feet of water in a *wave pool*

Little kids can drown in a few inches of still water.

How was she not cognizant of this???

[Whoa_Nelly]

15. Kids don't come with instructions...

...and some parents never bother to look up the necessary intructions and read'em.


Poor kid....

Damn! I am pissed about the mother's response and attitude! :grr:

[proud patriot]

16. I wrote a letter to the articles writers

I think the mother was negligent .

Those wave pools are difficult for adults who aren't strong swimmers
w/o a flotation device .

I get angry because this could have been avoided :grr:

[sandnsea]

17. There were 4 lifeguards on duty

There are supposed to be 6. That's what the mother is referring to about the park's responsibility. I can't say I'd have let my 4 year old play without supervision, but if they promise 6 lifeguards, I would tend to think the kids were being watched.

Also the daughter was 8.

I wonder about people who skip main points in an article to hate on their fellow citizens.

[mindwalker_i]

18. RE: Also, the daughter was 8

You're absolutely right that the article says she was 8. I had read in a paper or two (It's on the front pages of the papers at the quik mart), that she was 7 and it stuck in my mind.

About the 6 life guards, I suspect there were actually 6. I think 2 were in the pool and four outside. Regardless, the pool was really crowded as wave pools tend to be - I went to one that had been open for a while, and it was still crowded - and it's really going to be hard to see some 4-year-old in the middle of that. Plus, some people had inner-tubes, which likely further blocked the view.

The mother says that he was in the 2-foot part of the pool and asks how could someone drown in that. Let's just assume she's right and that the boy didn't sneak out of the shallow area as I would have at that age :) You can drown in a puddle if somebody a lot bigger squashes your face into it, so it's not real hard to imagine a 4-foot boy drowning in 2 feet of water (like, what if he fell over?). In addition to the two feet of standing water, there are these big-ass waves (what, 4 feet?) coming down the pike. That adds up to 6, which is greater than 4 (the boy was 4-feet tall, as I remember reading). In the care of, let's say, an 8-year-old? Does it really make that much of a difference between 7 and 8?

My first inclination is to say this is evolution but this woman's probably going to get a lot of money from the park, proving this to be a worthwhile venture. I fell sorry for her other kids.

-mwalker

[sandnsea]

24. You suspect

You don't know. I don't know why people love to suspect the worst to support their condemnation of others.

She thought there were 6 lifeguards on duty and that her 4 year old would be playing in 2 feet of water. I can see how she made her decision, especially considering an 8 year old was going along. Considering the situation, the child could have drowned if the mother had been right at the edge of the water watching. Accidents happen. People are so full of shit and judgmental. They love to sit on their high horses and never admit when it was their misjudgment that caused some accident. In fact, I think the harshest critics of other parents do it to make themselves feel better about their own failings.

[trixie]

19. What??????

Never, ever, ever think someone else is tending your child!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I see so much baaaaad parenting at the library. Here's my rule: Never leave your child unnatended where you wouldn't leave your purse/wallet unnatended.

[sandnsea]

26. Like the day care center?

Lifeguards, day care workers, same difference. When someone is on duty to keep people save in a pool, it's reasonable to expect them to do that. You aren't being paid to watch kids, although I think if a kids' librarian can't manage unsupervised kids then he/she shouldn't be a librarian. That's baaaad work ethics as far as I'm concerned.

[proud2BlibKansan]

31. Librarians aren't babyitters

and neither are lifeguards. Why in the world would any parent EVER take their eyes off of their own kid in public, wherever they are? I never expected a librarian to watch my kids for me.

[sandnsea]

52. "you aren't being paid to watch kids"

Yeah I said that, didn't I. But kids have been going to pools and libraries alone forever. It is expected that any adult will not let harm come to a child in child-friendly locations.

And yes, a lifeguard is absolutely expected to keep people from drowning. That's exactly what they are, in fact, paid to do.

[Coventina]

39. Are you kidding me? A librarian should be expected to babysit the public's kids?

You know, when I go to the library, I expect the librarians to be able to help me with research questions, my library account, etc.

I DO NOT expect them to be chasing around after unsupervised children. That's not what the public pays their librarians for.

[trixie]

53. So you would leave your child with any librarian....

Whose job it is to service all patrons while doing payroll, budgets, programming, supervising employees etc? WOW!!:crazy:

Let me clue you in. A felon can loose their right to vote and yet has not lose their right to public buildings. When you are in your public library you are with pedophiles, robbers etc. Bet on it! Any parent that thinks a librarian is their personal assistant is way out of line. Any parent that feels that they can have a librarian tend their child might want to ask the librarian if there are any parenting classes available.

I truly fear for some kids with their crazy parents.

You might want to look at an Occupational Handbook for the job description of librarians. Taking legal responsibility for children is not listed. Calling the authorities on children in harms way (due to bad parenting) is one of our duties. Don't forget, you can have up to 600 patrons in a building at any moment.

If you thing a lifeguard is the same as a daycare worker you might be setting yourself and your child up for a tragedy.

{shakes head, walks away}

[sandnsea]

54. Apparently librarians can't read

Because I clearly said librarians aren't paid to watch kids. They should, however, understand that kids are going to be in the library unsupervised, because it's going to happen.

And if you think a day care worker is better trained than a lifeguard, maybe you're the one setting your child up for a tragedy.

Parents drop kids off at pools every single day.

I can't figure out what world some of you people live in. Well actually, I do know. It's the world of self-denial and condemnation and judgment of others. Bunch of fucking snobs at DU, mostly.

[RayOfHope]

59. Our library has a huge sign in the childrens area that states

"Do Not Leave Your Children Unattended". Its not a given that kids roam the library without supervision.

Now that I think about it, there are several signs, all around the childrens area.

[trixie]

65. So true!

Check your state laws. In the Michigan it is illegal to walk away from any child under the age of 7. That means the child is with you in the stacks, at the computer etc. When you "register" for storytime where a caregiver is not reqired to come you can be assured that the library is now taking the legal responsibility for your child and that the librarian has had a complete background check, and training for the class.

[trixie]

64. apparently some people can't follow the format of the thread

I was not replying to you. It was to someone else. If you look on the left you can see who replies to whom. You and I were both replying to the same person.

[XemaSab]

74. Parents DO drop kids off at pools every day

Typically school-aged children who CAN SWIM. And who are with THEIR FRIENDS.

Not 4 year olds. Not alone.

[sandnsea]

80. And none of them ever drown?

Oh yeah, they do. Because tragedies happen, usually as the result of somebody's mistake.

[Rosemary2205]

63. I know exactly where you are coming from but times have changed

My family as kids used to go to the library alone all the time from about 4rd grade on. In fact, the library was between school and home. If a kid got out of hand the librarian could throw the kid out or contact the parents and the parents would make sure the kid behaved next time. But then I grew up in a suburb that thought of itself as a small town, and everyone knew everyone. If I was acting like a fool ANY adult felt free to tell me to act right and I was raised with enough respect to do so. I lived in world where I was free to go out on Halloween or go play in the woods without a parent (we did have to have a "buddy").

Now my sister has kids who are just about to enter high school. Her kids cannot leave the house without permission on non school days or after school. The kids are accompanied to the library or the ice cream store just up the street or wherever. Sister is MUCH more nervous about child safety than my parent were. Plus, even though my sister has no problem with other people disciplining her kids if they act up at school or wherever, it seems this is just not done anymore - maybe there have been too a many lawsuits from parents who think little Suzie is the picture of perfection -- I don't know.

All I can say is it's obvious society has changed tremendously from when we were kids - and IMHO not completely for the better (some yes but some no).

[XemaSab]

75. So 4th graders are what, 9?

Twice as old as the child in question?

It's not about leaving kids alone, it's about leaving kids alone appropriate to their age, and 4 is too young to EVER be left alone.

[XemaSab]

72. I'd expect a lifeguard to be responsible for an older child,

but with an older child you expect them to be responsible for THEMSELVES.

With a hundred people in the pool to be watched, you can't expect the lifeguards to see everything going on.

[LibDemAlways]

50. Funny you should mention the library. My

14-year-old volunteers at our local library once a week for two hours, and rather than make two trips, I use the computer or read a book while I'm there.

Amazing the number of parents who think it's a playground and let the kids run wild and unattended. Yesterday, I watched a woman, who was intently using the computer, tell her daughter, who had to be all of 6, to go find another kid and "play hide and seek. Mommy's busy." Another woman brought in a cranky toddler who cried and screamed for a good half hour. She happened on someone she knew and the two had a loud conversation while the stroller with the screaming child was in another aisle.

Our librarian doesn't want to offend anybody and looks the other way.

[Lady President]

36. The park says there were 6

Based on the article it's still a "he said, she said" regarding the number of lifeguards. To me, there are far too many unknowns to blame the park either. I just checked the park's website, and the wave pool is really large-- maybe they needed 8 guards, or more guards in chairs with a better view, brighter colored suits, only experienced guards in the wave pool, minimum size to be allowed in the pool, etc. I'm sure that these kinds of thing will be reviewed.

Regardless, parents need to watch their kids around water.

[sandnsea]

51. Parents used to drop their kids off at pools

I suspect they still do in most parts of the country. If the mother was thinking along those lines, it was understandable. Wrong thinking, but understandable.

[nosillies]

73. I was a life guard at different places in different parts of the country

None of these establishments allowed children under certain ages to be dropped off, ever. And this was as far back as 17 years ago. And if anyone drops their young child off at a pool that is accepting of this practice, then they are a complete fool. There is something terribly wrong about an establishment that lets drop-offs occur.

If parents tried to drop a kid off at places I worked, that kid never got near the water. And if parents dropped off an older child who couldn't swim, we kindly suggested swimming lessons and made the parents stay to watch. And if moms who were there weren't paying attention (some of them loved to get drunk at the pool), we often called them out.

A good lifeguard tries to prevent a drowning situation from ever happening, and sometimes calling out or kicking out the idiots is the best way to do that.

[sandnsea]

82. Oh yeah, the mother was at the facility

She didn't drop the children off, now did she. She was there, probably watching her 2 year old. She expected the 6 life guards to keep her child from drowning. What if the mother couldn't swim, should she never trust a lifeguard to do their job, and keep her child out of the water forever?

When I was a kid taking swimming lessons, they didn't want the parents there because it was harder to get the kids to pay attention and listen to the lifeguard.

Funny, one minute parents are smothering their children, never letting them learn to handle things on their own, never learning to respect authority figures. The next they're supposed to hover over the kid every second.

I still say there's a certain kind of person who appeases their own egos by condemning everybody else, and any kind of parenting thread brings them out in droves.

[Exultant Democracy]

45. Who says there were only 4 lifegaurds? Only the mother the same woman

who should have said, "Hey don't go back into the pool after eating."

[sandnsea]

55. Okay, there were 6 lifeguards on duty

Enough lifeguards that you would expect one of them to notice a child in trouble. That was her expectation, just like it's every snobby-ass bitches' expectation when their kid is playing in the water at the resort when she's sunning her ass on the beach. I guarantee you that if this had happened at some rich resort, there would be a completely different reaction.

[lynne]

83. I wondered about lifeguards -

- and YES she should have been watching the child. I think people underestimate wave pools and the power they have to pull victims down. BUT, with 6 lifeguards on duty, I don't understand how the child was missed. No doubt that she will sue and she will win.

[XemaSab]

76. Word.

n/t

[JCMach1]

20. Underpaid poorly trained lifeguards?

Don't just blame the mother here

[NaturalHigh]

21. Wherever the blame may lie...

this is a tragedy. My thoughts and prayers go out to this family.

[never_get_over_it]

22. I hate wave pools

My three nephews are here visiting and would have loved to have gone to a water park but since there are three of them and only one of me with the youngest just turned 6 I refused to go there. I know they would want to go to the wave pool. They are all actually good swimmers even the 6 year old is swimming well...but those freaking wave pools are SO crowded and there is no way I would be relying on the life guards and was not up to the stress of watching three of them... so maybe in a few years when they are all a bit bigger we will go - until them no wave pools for us -

[GreenPartyVoter]

29. My guys can't swim, but they love wave pools. However, they wear

good life jackets and and I am right there with them in the water.

[indie_voter]

33. Ditto. Water and little kids makes me very nervous. n/t

[LibDemAlways]

23. I was at a water park exactly once. My cousin

took me, along with our two young children, to one near Philadelphia. It was gross. Huge pools full of kids in diapers and God knows what else. I waded in with my five year old for only about two minutes, and I was by her side the entire time. The next day my daughter came down with a fever, and I could have kicked myself for letting her go in that nasty water at all.

In the case being discussed here, the mother should have stayed with her young child. Assuming anyone else is looking after your small child is just ridiculous.

Some people lack the common sense required to be a good parent. A few years ago the ballet school my daughter attended opened a small classroom that could only be reached through a narrow alley around the back. I would routinely watch parents drop off four and five year olds in that alley and tell them to wait for the teacher. Then the parent would take off. A couple of times the teacher didn't show and those kids were in that alley for an hour, sometimes after dark, with cars zooming past. Jeez, anyone not able to supervise the activities of their small children, keeping them out of harm's way, has no business having them in the first place.

[indie_voter]

32. I couldn't agree more n/t

[XemaSab]

77. There's a lagoon near my house

It's a coastal lagoon near the beach, and it's basically a small pool on the sandy part of the beach where a creek comes out.

Last week I went to the beach and there were several children from the ages of 2 to 5 (maybe) playing in the lagoon while their parents looked on.

I have read the water quality report for that lagoon, and the words "fecal coliform" are prominantly featured. The lagoon is full of birds, and the creek drains downtown. (Hey, I like birds, but you can get some nasty stuff playing in bird shit and I know for a fact that there are bird carcasses in there underwater.)

Some parents have no sense.

[LibDemAlways]

81. You'd think the local authorities would post a sign

"Possible contamination of creek water. Lagoon unsafe for swimming/wading" or something to that effect. It probably has never dawned on those parents that it might be dangerous. Common sense would tell you it probably isn't.

[XemaSab]

85. Common sense would tell you it IS

There's all kinds of crap floating on the surface, the edge is covered in feathers and bird shit, the water stinks.... it doesn't look remotely inviting.

[LibDemAlways]

86. What is wrong with people?

There's a storm drain in front of my house. The county has stenciled a sign on it and the other storm drains in the area that says "Do not dump. Drains to creek." Of course that doesn't stop people from washing all kinds of construction debris, oil, and whatever else into those drains. I live at the bottom of the hill and see the crap that people wash down. The storm drain stinks.

When I was growing up there was an area where storm drain water emptied out into the ocean. It was known locally as "pee water springs" and for good reason. The thought of playing in it would have been stomach turning, but that didn't stop people from using that beach.

[book_worm]

27. It's terrible, but that mother deserves a bit of the blame as well as the park

What is she doing sending her four year old into a wave pool without any supervision? and then when he doesn't return by a certain time she sends her 7 or 8 year old to look for him? What? was she too busy sunbathing to get up and look herself or to keep an eye on her child?

[maggiegault]

67. As I Said, Former Lifeguard Here...And Mommy Should Be Accepting ALL Of The Blame Here

How many hundreds of kids were in the pool that day? What was she doing that was so damned important that she wouldn't keep an eye on her little ones?

[Truthiness Inspector]

28. Awful

In her grief, the mother blames the park. Sad story all the way around, and I hope this mother finds peace. Her lack of supervision will surely haunt her the rest of her days, and that is a brutal fate. :(

[WinkyDink]

37. Kind of a metaphor, is it not? "Great America", a child's death, and all that.

[Retired AF Dem]

38. It is a real wonder that the human race has not become extinct

I am responsible for the safety of my family and myself. It is nice to have extra help like cops, fireman, lifeguards etc.. but they arent with us 24/7.

[tammywammy]

40. Well, I feel for the mother's loss

But seriously, why the hell wasn't she watching her child. A child can drown in 2 inches of water, let alone 2 feet.

I spent a lot of time at the water park in my town when I was young. When I went with day care, there was 1 adult for every 5 or 6 kids there. When I went with my parents a few times, they kept their eyes on me like a hawk.

Also, regarding flotation devices. Water parks don't ban life jackets as far as I know.

edited to add this from another story:

" Several safety signs were visible from the barricades around the pool, including one that says, "Adult supervision is recommended. Small children must not be left unattended at any time." The sign, in English, also said the park provides life jackets for free. Stacks of the faded orange vests could be seen in several racks near the pool."

http://www.mercurynews.com/valley/ci_6374839

[AlCzervik]

41. i have to be honest, i hate water parks, all of them. We have a pretty nice one near us

and we've been about 5 times in the past seven years and you cannot take your eyes off your kids for a second, if you take your kids and they're under a certain age then bring your suit and prepare to go on all the slides with them. Also better bring sunblock 8 million because with all the reflective area you gonna get burned.

[DS1]

49. Dear Kid, sorry your mom is a stupid piece of shit

Signed,
Society

[in_cog_ni_to]

57. NO child should EVER be around water without being within an arms reach!

JMCPO. I guess I'm just an over-protective mother, but my son is still alive for me to hug everyday....and now, at 14, a very good swimmer.

This is so damn sad.

[maggiegault]

66. Former Lifeguard Here

Great America DID do their job. They provided entertainment for thousands of people that day. That is their job. Their job is NOT to babysit your poor unfortunate child.

Where I used to work, there were three pools. One was the baby pool, one was the intermediate pool, and one was the adult pool. We were very strict about who could swim where, and there were NO arguments and NO exceptions. This was also a public pool.

Children in the intermediate and baby pools had to be supervised by a parent or caregiver who was required to be on site at ALL times.

The rules for the adult pool were similarly strict.

Water can be a lot of fun but it can kill you in the blink of an eye. It is not a place for foolishness or carelessness. It is certainly not a place to permit your little one to go unsupervised so that the poor child can suffer an untimely and grisly death.

[XemaSab]

68. This is a really tragic story

but yeah, the mother should NEVER have let a 4-year-old out of her sight. EVER.

Blaming the lifeguards for her TOTAL FAILURE as a parent... not gonna float.

Also, if he was 4 years old and 4 feet tall, he was in like, the 99.99th percentile for height. :eyes:

[AlCzervik]

69. i have a pool and we have 4 rules you follow or you get asked to leave--

No children in the pool unsupervised, no running, no diving and no glass bottles or cups. If someone brings their kids to my house to swim i stay out there thw whole time, even when they get out. Edited to add that if you're a parent with a kid at my house your ass will be outside with your offspring no matter fing hot and miserable you are.

[XemaSab]

78. Exactly

Even experienced adults can drown. If you go to the state department website, the leading causes of death on vacation for adult Americans overseas are auto accidents and drowning. You're having a good time, and all of a sudden...

It's sad, but it's a fact of life. Kids especially are fond of goofing off and playing in the water, and that's all well and good but hey, they need to be WATCHED.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

79. It's everyone else's job to watch her kid

I worked in a state park for many years, and you wouldn't believe how many parents expect you to keep an eye on their kids while they run and hide from them. But god forbid you say one word to them when they are acting up, and it's "You CAN'T speak to MY CHILD that way!".

I once had some brat running up to the payphone and dialing 911. When I told her it was very wrong to do that, the bitch mother came over and essentially told me she didn't care and how dare I even speak to the child.

[Warren DeMontague]

84. I read this in today's Chronicle. Tragic. First off, there's a mom who just lost her child.

So I'm going to temper my words with that in mind. My heart goes out to her. Awful beyond words.

But she had her 4 year old in a pool--- and wasn't personally watching him. There is NO FUCKING WAY I would put a 4 year old in a pool and walk away. I don't care how many lifeguards are on duty.

"Warn all parents that they need to watch their kids at all times"?

Well, duh.