A teenager, who witnesses say could not swim, drowned Saturday in a public pool in High Point, NC. It is unknown why the 17 year old Anthony Hayes was in nearly 13 feet of water when it has been reported that he was unable to swim.
North Carolina law requires that there be a minimum of 24 square feet of water surface area, per person, in areas of the pool that are deeper than 5 feet. Investigators also report that there were 5 lifeguards on staff at the time of the incident. One of the lifeguards noticed the teen under water in the deep end and he retrieved the teen and immediately started CPR.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) reports that drowning is the second leading cause of death in children ages 1 through 19, with toddlers and teenage boys being the highest risk. The AAP recommends that children above the age of 4 learn how to swim.
Our North Carolina attorneys are familiar with the laws governing both public and private swimming pools.
