Questions raised about pool after boy nearly drowns over the weekend
By Chris Oberholtz, Abby Dodge
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KANSAS CITY, Kansas (KCTV) — A 13-year-old Kansas City, Kansas boy is in critical condition after almost drowning over the weekend.
Deputies say the boy and his friends jumped a fence to get into a pool.
The Unified Government says this pool isn’t open right now and it won’t be for the entire summer. After the near-drowning accident this weekend, KCTV5 News asked the city why there’s water in the pool if they don’t plan to open it to the public.
The Parkwood Pool is the only public pool in KCK. The city says it closed because there aren’t enough lifeguards to staff it this summer. But, there’s still water in the pool.
“Why would they have it in there like that,” neighbor Geraldine Henry questioned.
“That pool should have been drained,” J.R. Henry added.
JR and Geraldine Henry live right down the road from the pool. They didn’t know about what happened Saturday night until we told them.
“It kind of shocked me because I didn’t know it happened over there,” J.R. Henry said.
“I felt kind of sad for … I wish it didn’t happen,” neighbor Joseph Burl said.
Police say a 13-year-old boy and two friends hopped the fence. One boy jumped in the pool. After a short time in the water, he started to drown.
Police say his friends couldn’t swim so they went next door to find help.
“It could have been even worse in this situation had the fire department not been there, right up the street,” said Captain Kyle Harvey with the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities took the boy to Children’s Mercy where he’s still in critical condition.
Harvey says they aren’t pursuing any charges for any of the kids who jumped the fence.
“I deeply feel for this child’s family and friends. It’s a horrible situation,” he said. “It would have been the worst call of my life, that’s all I know.”
Back at the pool Monday afternoon, kids were still peaking through the fence to see if the pool is open. But, it will stay locked and fenced all summer. The only people who could potentially take a swim are lifeguards the city hopes to train for next summer.
Neighbors suggested getting a higher fence or draining the pool to prevent future tragedies this summer.
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