On March 27, 2019, nbcnews.com reported on a story about a Florida mother who was intoxicated while her toddler almost drowned in a hot tub. She was later charged with child neglect for allegedly being under the influence when her toddler nearly drowned in a hotel hot tub in Daytona Beach Shores.
According to the police, the mother said she had drunk alcohol and consumed marijuana, oxycodone, and Suboxone before the accident. The mother was later charged with felony child neglect and destroying evidence and was held without bond, NBC reported. While this story is terrifying, in reality, parents and regular people are in these types of situations all the time in and around hot tubs. This was not an isolated incident.
When It’s Cold, Hot Tubs Are Popular
While people use their pools in the summertime, they use them a lot less, if at all, during the wintertime. They do, however, use their hot tubs year-round, especially when it’s colder outside and they don’t want to go in the pool. Since it’s the holiday season, people tend to use their hot tubs for holiday parties, while staying in hotels for holiday travel, and while drinking at holiday parties.
All of the above factors combined to increase the risk of hot tub drowning accidents, especially for children. To enjoy a safe and happy hot tub season, follow these tips to avoid a hot tub drowning:
- When watching children who are swimming, stay sober. Do not consume any alcohol or drugs while watching children around hot tubs or swimming pools.
- When your children are in a hot tub, avoid engaging in distracting activities like texting or reading a book. Instead, watch them carefully.
- Do not rely on lifeguards to watch your children near water; sometimes they miss things!
- Do not let someone who is intoxicated watch your children around hot tubs.
- Do not let children playfully scream or jokingly yell for help when swimming in a hot tub because you may ignore them when it’s real.
- Never assume a child can be left unattended in a hot tub because they’re good swimmers. Swimming lessons can provide parents with a false sense of security.
If someone you love had a drowning accident in a spa or swimming pool, contact The Zendeh Del Law Firm, PLLC to file a claim for compensation!
Next: Swimming Safety Tips