1 stabbed to death; another charged with murder after argument, brawl ‘over a man’
July 12, 2017
Gloria Andrews
July 13, 2017
LOCALS URGE WATER SAFETY THIS SUMMER
The drowning of a 2-year-old boy in a Lockport swimming pool, authorities say, is a prime example of how such accidents can occur despite precautions, and why constant vigilance is key to survival this summer.
Kevin Cortez III was pronounced dead at Ochsner St. Anne Hospital the morning of July 4, after being rushed there from a family friend’s home on North Service Road. The boy had gone missing during an Independence Day barbecue and was found in the pool. He had last been seen playing inside the house.
A search of the house and area resulted in his discovery at the bottom of the pool. Frantic first aid efforts were begun at poolside but were unsuccessful.
Lafourche Parish Coroner John King’s office declared the cause of death to be drowning, and that the death was accidental.
“A pool is an attraction, that’s why children must be watched around pools, fences put up and locked at all times when adults are not present,” said King’s chief investigator, Mark Goldman, whose specialty is child deaths.
At some point the child had been at poolside, throwing toys into water. But immediately prior to the discovery that he was gone, he was seen inside the house. Adults are getting the message that children playing in pools much be watched relentlessly, hopefully by an adult who is not in the pool, said Goldman.
But the mere presence of a pool can pose danger, and the locking of gates must be double-checked.
“Whether it’s your pool or a neighbor’s pool, the child needs to be watched at all times,” Goldman said. “Lakes and ponds as well. The safety margin always comes from knowing where your children are. An accident is an unforeseen event, that’s the definition, and it only takes a few seconds.”
In some instances, adults searching for a missing child may not realize the child is in the pool because of algae or other discoloration, and so pools that appear green should especially be checked.
“You have to think safety,” was the concise answer given by Maj. Tommy Odom of the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, who as its Water Patrol commanding officer has dealt with too many bereaved families in his years of service, when asked about lessons learned from tragedy.
Now that the summer season is in full swing, with schools out and children spending more time outdoors in pools, boats and beside or in water bodies, authorities and medical experts say they can’t emphasize enough the danger potential. Attempts to legislate safeguards have failed in local communities; safety experts say the onus for safety still falls on parents, and stress that even a few seconds spent with eyes off of frolicking, sometimes rough-housing children can be too long.
A sad fact is that the death of Kevin J. Cortez III is one more bolster for a long-standing statistic from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which says that drowning is the second-leading cause of death for children under age 15.
The sorrow wrought by child drownings is well known in Lafourche, but also in Terrebonne Parish, where a vigil is held for victims each year in June.
June is “Hayden’s Swimming Pool Safety Awareness Month.” It is named for 2-year-old Hayden Paul Davenport, who entered an unattended Houma swimming pool in 2007 and, in the words of the council’s initial resolution, “became another statistic in the tragic list of infant drowning victims throughout this country.”
Another child, Lauren Gros, died of drowning the following year.
The Terrebonne council had grappled with the question of how better to prevent drowning, particularly in pools. A requirement for a 4-foot fence around pools was discussed and tabled, but never acted upon.
Hayden’s mom, Stephanie Thibodeaux, lobbied hard for the law. The council, ultimately, didn’t want to tell people what to do with their property and so the attempt failed. Thibodeaux asked for a law to protect children and got an annual candlelight vigil instead.
Insurance companies do require fences around pools, but not every home is insured and not every insured home necessarily follows those requirements.
Details behind overall national statistics are grim.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in five people who die from drowning overall are children 14 and younger. For every child who dies from drowning, another five receive emergency department care for nonfatal submersion injuries. Half of those require hospitalization or further care, in many cases due to “severe brain damage that may result in long-term disabilities such as memory problems, learning disabilities, and permanent loss of basic functioning,” or, as a CDC statement puts it, “a permanent vegetative state.”
Pools are an important risk factor, but other venues offer threats as well, such as retention ponds and even ditches.
Another swimming pool note added by Goldman during discussions of child safety is that children who drown do not always thrash or struggle, so commotion should not be relied upon to know that a problem exists. Constant headcounts when groups of children are in a pool are recommended.
“I have six grandchildren. I have a 6-foot fence, a pole and all the safety equipment. For some reason, the local governments don’t want to force people to have fences or gates,” he said. “But still, there are problems anytime a parent is not watching a child and supervising.”
“I have a 6-foot fence, a pole and all the safety equipment. For some reason, the local governments don’t want to force people to have fences or gates. But there are still problems anytime a parent is not watching a child …”
Those who know Kevin Cortez III said that he could light up a room. The toddler died last week during the Independence Day holiday after he wandered out of his parents’ sight and into a swimming pool. Officials this week are urging pool safety with a lot of the summer still ahead.
