Reckless Construction of Pool Causes Child's Death and Leads to Manslaughter Charges

As was reported in the New York Times yesterday, the president of a swimming pool company was charged with second-degree manslaughter following an accident last year in which a 6 year old boy drowned in Connecticut after his arm became trapped in the pool's suction drain.  Police have charged the builder with recklessly causing the death of the boy by failing to ensure that his company installed mandated safety devices in the pool that would have prevented the death.  According to the accident investigation, the boy drowned after his arm became stuck in an intake valve in the deep end of an in-ground pool.  The boy's parents desperately attempted to free their son's arm from the drain but were unsuccessful due to the strong suction of the pump.  Ultimately, the boy's mother ran and shut off power to the house (including the drain pump) and they were able to to free their son and perform CPR, but it was too late.  The lawsuit alleges that the pool fell well short of the minimum safety standards for pools.  C

Recent statistics indicate that since 1985, more than 150 people have become entrapped in swimming pool drains, incidents that have led to at least 48 deaths nationwide.   Lawsuits have sought recovery on the grounds of negligence and reckless endangerment of life.  In these types of cases, it has been necessary to retain the services of engineers and pool experts to investigate the true cause of said accidents. 

The attorneys at STSW have had the opportunity to handle similar tragic, wrongful death cases.  If you or a loved one believe that you have been the victim of similar negligence, reckless conduct, or tortious conduct arising out of a pool construction / pool safety / pool operation issue, contact the lawyers at STSW for a free consultation.