A 19-month-old Rialto boy suffered critical injuries after he nearly drowned in a swimming pool accident the evening of June 30, 2009, according to a news report in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin. Family members say they found the child floating facedown in the swimming pool at a home in the 2200 block of North Forest Avenue. Some of the family members had already begun CPR by the time Rialto firefighters arrived. The toddler, who has not been identified, was taken to an area hospital and still remains in critical condition. Rialto fire officials are saying that there was no barrier or fence around the swimming pool and that the child apparently walked to the pool area through a sliding glass door.

My heart goes out to the toddler who is apparently fighting for his life and also to his family members, who must be dealing with immense sadness and guilt that tend to go hand-in-hand with these tragic swimming pool accidents.

However, the ordeal is nowhere near over for this family. Young children, if they do not drown, can be left with catastrophic brain injury after a near-drowning incident because the oxygen supply to the brain gets cuts off. The cost of treating these brain injuries can be extremely high and could run into millions of dollars. I hope and pray that this child will recover quickly and completely from his critical injuries.

Southern California has the highest number of swimming pool accidents in California. Los Angeles County has more than 200 near-drowning incidents on an average each year. Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties account for half of all near-drowning incidents in California. Almost every summer, Bisnar | Chase represents a family whose loved one drowned or almost drowned because of the negligence of a homeowner. It could happen any time and almost always quietly, without warning, in a very brief moment of inattention – in the time it takes to answer a phone or turn around and talk to someone.

Based on this news report, it is not clear where this drowning injury accident occurred. We don't know whether the child was in his own backyard or a friend's backyard. If a child is entrusted to the care of a friend, an acquaintance, a babysitter or caregiver and is involved in a swimming pool accident on their watch, that individual or entity could be held liable for any personal injury. Anyone who believes that their child was injured in a California swimming pool accident would be well-advised to consult a reputed California personal injury lawyer who can give them the right advice and information about how to pursue their legal rights.

It is important to remind ourselves, especially at this time of the year, about the ABCs of pool safety. "A" is for adult supervision around water. "B" is for barriers around pools. And "C" is for CPR and training to handle such emergency situations. Please stay safe, keep your children safe and have a wonderful summer and a happy 4th of July!