Carelessness or crime? A hot summer day can blur the lines

When summer heat scorches the country, many families seek refuge at pools, lakes and beaches, especially over the holiday weekend.

But the water can pose a substantial threat to the youngest and most vulnerable members of the family. After decades of decline, the rate of drowning deaths among children has risen significantly in recent years, doctors recently warned.

A lack of proper adult supervision is among the biggest risk factors. But when a child slips away and drowns, authorities are left with a heart-wrenching question: was it an accident or a crime?

And what could have been done to prevent a tragedy?

Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death for American children between the ages of 1 and 4 years old and the second most common killer of kids ages 5 through 14, according to a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics published in June. The rate of these deaths was on the decline for decades, but drownings started to increase after 2019.

A lack of supervision near bodies of water can be dangerous and deadly for toddlers in particular, said Dr. Rohit Shenoi, the lead author of the American Academy of Pediatrics report. Toddlers and young children…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/