Parents Warned of Pools

Of all the tragic endings Dr. Richard Midthun has witnessed in the emergency room, none is as gut-wrenching and senseless as a drowned child.

Midthun was on duty at Thousand Oaks’ Los Robles Regional Medical Center in June when 4-year-old Daniel Veres was pronounced dead after falling into a pool during a birthday party at the Malibu home of rock musician Tommy Lee.

This year, six children younger than 4 have drowned in swimming pools across Ventura County, compared with one for all of 2000--and Midthun said he has seen enough.

Flanked by health and fire officials from Ventura and Los Angeles counties at a Friday news conference at the hospital, Midthun reminded parents that the silent killer this Labor Day weekend could be the cool blue waters of the backyard pool.

“There is no substitute for keeping your eyes on your toddler,” Midthun said. “Parents don’t believe this can happen, but toddlers have no judgment and they are curious.”

Ventura County’s most recent drowning occurred in early August when 14-month-old Madeleine Martin died after falling into the pool at her Thousand Oaks home.

“This is not like when a child contracts an infection and dies,” Los Robles spokeswoman Kris Carraway-Bowman said. “This is a preventable death.”

Drowning remains the leading cause of death in California for children younger than 2. Statewide, 71 children between ages 1 and 4 drowned in 1999, the latest year statistics were available, according to Lea Brooks of the California Department of Health Services.

Those numbers could drop dramatically if parents and guardians follow some simple rules, said Barry Fisher of Ventura County Emergency Medical Services.

The most obvious rule, Fisher said, is never to leave a child unattended near a swimming pool.

“Drownings happen quickly and silently,” Fisher said. “If your child is missing, always look for them in the pool first.”