A police investigation into the drowning of a 4-year-old child in a pool at Deer Lake Athletic Club showed that six children were left unattended at the time of the incident.
The girl, who police originally said was 5, died on Friday, Jan. 30. Oakland County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the private athletic club in Independence Township for a possible drowning at approximately 7:30 p.m., according to a news release from the sheriff’s office.
When deputies arrived, two men and a woman were administering CPR. Deputies took over until Independence Township Fire Department paramedics arrived and transported the girl to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead, according to the news release.
An investigation found that two women brought their six children, ages 12, 10, 8, 6 and 4, to the pool. They placed several flotation devices into the pool and went to the club’s bar/restaurant area, where they ordered food and beverages, according to the sheriff’s office.
They stayed at the bar/restaurant area for about 35 minutes while the children were alone in the pool area, according to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.
The 4-year-old was removed from the pool by her sister. Afterward, the two women were located in the bar/restaurant area, according to the sheriff’s office.
The pool depth ranged from 3-5 feet. Investigators observed pool toys and pool noodles, but no life preservers in the area. The pool area has two signs, one at each end of the pool, saying minors under 16 are not allowed in the pool without an adult present, according to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Michael Bouchard said any children’s swimming activity should have at least one adult tasked with watching the pool.
“This is a horrific and tragic death that easily could have been avoided,” Bouchard said in the news release. “We always encourage that not only is there an adult present for any children swimming activity, but one adult is specifically tasked with watching and not just in the area. We have seen cases where children have drowned in a pool surrounded by adults.”
About 4,000 people in the U.S. die from drowning every year, according to the CDC. It is the leading cause of death for children 1-4.
Investigation of the incident remains under review and will be submitted to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office for further consideration, according to the sheriff’s office.
Contact Natalie Davies at ndavies@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Kids left unattended before drowning at Oakland Co. pool, police say