According to authorities, the daughter of Shaquil Barrett, a Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker, drowned in their family pool on Sunday.
On Sunday morning, before 9:30 am, officers received a call that a child had fallen into a pool in the Beach Park neighborhood of south Tampa Bay. Barrett’s two-year-old daughter was rushed to the hospital but was later pronounced dead. The Buccaneers organization offered their support to Barrett and his family in a Tweet, saying:
“Today’s tragic news is heartbreaking for all members of the Buccaneers family. Our thoughts and prayers are with Shaq, Jordanna and the entire Barrett family during this unimaginably difficult time.
“While no words can provide true comfort at a time such as this, we offer our support and love as they begin to process this very profound loss of their beloved Arrayah.”
According to police, “The investigation is ongoing. It is not believed to be suspicious in nature at this time, but a purely accidental and tragic incident.”
Consumer Product Safety Commission Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric offered his thoughts on the issue of childhood safety in pools when the organization called for increased water safety vigilance last summer:
“Child drowning rates and nonfatal drowning injuries among children under 15 years old remain high, and water safety vigilance is as important as ever this summer for parents and caregivers. Whether a child is playing in a community pool, a neighbor’s pool, or your own, we urge parents and caregivers to prepare their children for water-related activities by reviewing Pool Safely tips and signing up for swim lessons this summer. Working together, we can help reduce pool- and spa-related fatalities.”
The CPSC also found evidence in studies to indicate that children under five years old face an increased risk of injury in pools. They wrote:
“On average, from 2019 through 2021, 80 percent of children treated in emergency departments for pool- or spa-related, nonfatal drowning injuries were younger than 5 years of age. Where known, 73 percent of nonfatal incidents in children under age 5 that led to emergency room visits occurred at a residence, compared to nearly 27 percent that occurred in a public location. Two-thirds of reported fatal child drownings in pools or spas occurred in residential settings such as the victim’s home, the house of a family member or friend, or a neighbor’s residence.”
CPSC also offered a number of rules for parents who want to ensure their children’s safety in their residential pool, including:
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Never leave a child unattended in or near water, and always designate an adult Water Watcher. This person should not be reading, texting, using a phone or be otherwise distracted. In addition to pools and spas, this warning includes bathtubs, buckets, decorative ponds, and fountains.
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If you own a pool or spa, install layers of barriers to prevent the unsupervised child from accessing the water. Homes can use door alarms, pool covers, and self-closing, self-latching devices on fence gates and doors that access pools.
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Learn how to perform CPR on children and adults. Many communities offer online CPR training.
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