Two young boys — Marcus Tucker, 4, and 1-year-old Micah Tucker — died in a swimming pool accident after they drowned in the backyard pool of a Bakersfield home. According to an ABC News report, the brothers drowned the morning of March 17, 2010 when the boys’ mother, Candice Tucker, was at work. She had left the boys with her two roommates. One roommate was sleeping and another was in the bathroom when the boys went to the backyard and somehow fell into the pool. Family members believed that Micah must have accidentally fallen in and Marcus must have jumped in to save him. Both boys were found at the bottom of the pool.
This is a heartbreaking story. I offer my deepest condolences to the mother, Candice Tucker. I can only imagine the guilt and grief she must be feeling at this point. This family will certainly be in my thoughts and prayers.
Swimming Pool Accident Statistics
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), an estimated 350 children under 5 years of age drown each year in swimming pools, many in residential pools. The Commission estimates that another 2,600 children under age 5 are treated in hospital emergency rooms each year following submersion incidents. Some of these submersions or near-drowning incidents result in severe brain injuries and permanent brain damage. Nationally, drowning is a leading cause of death among children under 5 years of age.
The Importance of Supervision
The key to preventing these tragedies is to have layers of protection. This includes placing barriers around your pool to prevent access, using pool alarms, closely supervising your child and being prepared in case of an emergency. In this particular case, the two young men who had been left in charge of the children, obviously, did not do any of the above. In this particular case, the two men could be held liable for the deaths of the children because they were left in charge.
With spring and summer approaching, we must use this incident as a wakeup call and remember to always supervise our children especially around swimming pools. A child can drown in seconds and that is why it is all the more important to keep a close watch and make sure that your backyard pool is fenced and locked at all times. If a child drowns in your pool under your watch, remember, you can be held liable. An experienced Bakersfield personal injury lawyer will be able to advise victims and their families about their legal rights and options in such cases.
The Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free consultation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to not at fault persons named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.