Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
A faulty pool light is the center of an investigation into the death of a 7-year-old Miami boy who was electrocuted as he swam while under the care of a longtime nanny.
Police quickly determined that the 7-year-old was electrocuted on April 13 after receiving a severe jolt that catapulted him out of the water as he raced across the backyard pool at his home.
However, police claim the investigation is far from over, as they need to determine what exactly caused the accident.
The light in question is a single circular beam in the deep end of the family’s Keystone Point pool, which is now empty and without power. After the tragic accident, the light was found encased in steel that is rusted and burned.
The boy’s father told police that he noticed the pool light was not turning on about nine months ago. He apparently hired a contractor to fix it.
According to a city spokeswoman, North Miami requires permits and inspections on pool electrical work that is more complicated than simply changing a light bulb. According to city building department records, no permits were pulled and no inspections were done at the family’s home in the past year.
According to family members, electricians that inspected the light switch to the pool said that it didn’t seem to be grounded properly, meaning power that should have been averted from the pool was instead likely going directly into it. The power source could have been as much as 120 volts.
The 7-year-old and his 22-year-old brother were in the pool when the older man felt a shock and jumped out of the pool, yelling at his brother to do the same. The boy was apparently underwater and did not hear his brother.
Neighbors raced to the home and performed CPR on the boy before Miami-Dade paramedics took over.
As this case shows, electricity near the water presents many problems. Electric shock cannot only cause serious physical problems, but can lead to near-drowning or drowning accidents. All residential pools, as well as public swimming pools and other locations that often use electrical equipment in and around the water must be inspected on a regular basis to ensure they do not pose any risks to swimmers or other people in the area.
If you, your child or someone close to you may have been involved in an accident such as this, or any other type of drowning tragedy, please contact a Miami Swimming Pool Accident Attorney at Whittel & Melton to learn how we can help you with a personal injury or wrongful death claim. We know from experience that accidents involving negligence are never easy to deal with or accept, especially since they could have been prevented. We have helped numerous accident victims and their families seek justice for their losses. Please call us today statewide and toll-free at 866-608-5529 to schedule a free consultation to discuss your legal options.