On this blog, it is often our sad duty to discuss certain important heartbreaking situations. While bleak, these tragic child drowning stories often offer a valuable teaching moment for the rest of us. Today, we’re discussing the drowning death of four-year-old Israel “Izzy” Scott and what it means for other swimmers.
The Tragic Drowning of Izzy Scott
According to reports, Izzy Scott was taking swimming lessons for the first time. In this case, the swimming instructor was teaching a group of 10 children in a backyard pool. Unfortunately, during the end of the lesson, the four-year-old somehow managed to reach the deep end of the pool without the teacher noticing.
This was when disaster struck. As the other kids were leaving the pool, she noticed Izzy was still in the water. Reportedly, she jumped in to rescue him and began performing CPR. Sadly, it was too late. The child passed away after being transported to the hospital. As of now, officials are charging the instructor with misdemeanor involuntary manslaughter.
For more information on this tragic drowning story, watch the story here.
Pool Safety Begins with Active Supervision
There’s no doubt about it: active supervision could have helped to stop this tragic drowning. According to the CDC, drowning is actually the number one killer of children aged four and younger. To make matters worse, many of these child drownings occur right under the noses of adults that are watching the children. However, it is all too common that an otherwise-attentive adult gets distracted.
To prevent this, a child in the water needs the close attention of a supervisor. That means cutting out these distractions. If you are ” on duty,” your sole focus should be on these youngsters. This is not the time to read a book or check TikTok. The active supervisor has a critical role: protect these kids above anything else.
To do this, remove any potential distractions while monitoring swimming children. For infants and toddlers, the supervisor must stay within arm’s reach at all times. The adult should be in the pool, close enough to act in case of trouble. Being in the water with the kiddos also helps to reduce the possibility of distraction. For older kids, a close, focused eye is still necessary.
After all, drowning is often much more quiet than many of us realize. Unlike in the movies, there is usually no thrashing or screaming. Often the victim simply slips under the water silently.
That’s especially true in this tragic tale. The active supervisor must always maintain visual contact. That counts for children who know how to swim, or are just learning.
The Importance of Vetting Swimming Instructors
At this point, it might seem like this story is a warning against swimming lessons. We certainly hope that our readers understand that swimming lessons are a key layer of water safety. Every person, of any age, should learn how to swim.
That said, it is important to vet and double-check any potential teachers or swim schools. Read as many reviews online as are available. Next, get advice and recommendations from friends. You can even check with local authorities like the American Red Cross for lists of connected swimming instructors. It can also pay to interview a few instructors before taking the plunge. It never hurts to shop around and find the right fit for your swimmers. As we learned in today’s example, the lower number of students, the better.
This tragic drowning story is awful to read about. Lives and families are destroyed, but it can easily point out the importance of active supervision and vetting a swimming instructor.
