Two women who left six children, aged from four to twelve years old, unattended in a pool for 35 minutes are facing potential criminal charges. The incident occurred at the Deer Lake Athletic Club in Independence Township, Oakland County, where the children were alone in the pool when one of them drowned.
The two women had left the pool area to order food and drinks from the restaurant and bar that was open during the evening. When they returned, one of their nieces or nephews was submerged underwater and pulled out by another sibling. Emergency responders took the child to a hospital where she died due to drowning.
Pool signs clearly state that no lifeguard is present and that children younger than 16 must be supervised in the pool area. The Oakland County Sheriff's Office characterized the death as tragic and preventable, noting that life preservers were not provided with the children during their unsupervised period.
Steve Dolnut, a former Detroit police assistant chief, condemned the women's actions as child neglect. He stated that leaving kids unattended in a pool, even if there are toys or other safety devices present, is child neglect at the bare minimum.
Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard also expressed his concern over the incident, which he said was preventable with proper supervision. The sheriff's office noted that while pool toys and noodles were available in the water, no life preservers were left with the children during their unsupervised period.
The Oakland County Prosecutor's Office is reviewing evidence to determine whether charges will be filed against the two women involved. Potential charges could include child endangerment or other felony offenses, depending on the circumstances and the prosecutor's evaluation of the evidence.
The two women had left the pool area to order food and drinks from the restaurant and bar that was open during the evening. When they returned, one of their nieces or nephews was submerged underwater and pulled out by another sibling. Emergency responders took the child to a hospital where she died due to drowning.
Pool signs clearly state that no lifeguard is present and that children younger than 16 must be supervised in the pool area. The Oakland County Sheriff's Office characterized the death as tragic and preventable, noting that life preservers were not provided with the children during their unsupervised period.
Steve Dolnut, a former Detroit police assistant chief, condemned the women's actions as child neglect. He stated that leaving kids unattended in a pool, even if there are toys or other safety devices present, is child neglect at the bare minimum.
Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard also expressed his concern over the incident, which he said was preventable with proper supervision. The sheriff's office noted that while pool toys and noodles were available in the water, no life preservers were left with the children during their unsupervised period.
The Oakland County Prosecutor's Office is reviewing evidence to determine whether charges will be filed against the two women involved. Potential charges could include child endangerment or other felony offenses, depending on the circumstances and the prosecutor's evaluation of the evidence.
this is just insane... how can u leave 6 kids alone in a pool for that long?! poor kid died 
the whole thing seems so preventable, like they didnt even think about the risks 
and the pool signs are pretty clear too 
i dont think they should be let off easy tho 
I'm still shaking my head over this one... can't even imagine leaving your kids alone in a pool for 35 minutes without proper supervision. It's not just about the life preservers, it's about being present and responsible. I know we all make mistakes, but this is just plain reckless. 
As a parent myself, the thought of my own kids being in that situation is terrifying. Thankfully, there was another kid nearby to help... what if there wasn't? 
These two women need to be held accountable and I'm glad the authorities are taking this seriously. 
those 2 moms are literally putting their kids lives at risk by leaving them unsupervised in a pool for that long 35 minutes?!
. And it's not like they didn't have access to pool toys and noodles, but seriously how hard is it to use a life preserver?! I feel so bad for that little girl who lost her life, it's just devastating 
. I think the sheriff is right on the money with this one, proper supervision is key, especially when you've got kids swimmin' around in water 
. The fact that those two women didn't take responsibility and left their kids to fend for themselves is just plain irresponsible 
. Fingers crossed they get charged and maybe some accountability comes out of this 
. I hope the prosecutor's office takes a good hard look at this and charges 'em with somethin'. You can't just leave kids to die in a pool, period. 
I dont think these 2 chicks did anything wrong... like wut's the big deal? Kids are meant to swim & learn 2 swim with supervision... 
leaving them alone 4 a few mins wont kill 'em... 
anyway?! 
. I'm glad that emergency responders were there to respond quickly, but it's still devastating that one of them lost their life. The fact that the women left them unattended without even checking on them before leaving is just reckless 
. And yeah, life preservers should've been left with them just in case.
.
it's child neglect at its worst. and yeah, no life preservers? what are the chances of one kid being able to save another from drowning without some kinda safety gear? 
and nobody was paying attention. The fact that the pool signs are clear about no lifeguard supervision doesn't excuse leaving the kids alone, it just highlights how ridiculous it is that people would think they can get away with it 
leaving those six kids alone in the pool for 35 whole minutes is not just irresponsible it's criminal 
they're basically saying 'oh we'll just grab some grub while our kids drown' umm no 
the fact that pool signs are clear as day is just an excuse 
. I mean, you can't put a price on a kid's life, right? 
It's one thing to leave them with toys and safety devices, but to think that no life preservers were needed because the pool had those things... it just don't compute 
. It's like they were thinking "Oh, we've got this" without even realizing the risks 
.
the fact that they had to order food & drinks while leaving the kids alone is just insane, and now one of them is DEAD 