A New Jersey mother is dead after trying to save her drowning children at a Cape May County public beach. The family was in North Wildwood on vacation. The death of the mother, and the facts surrounding the multiple drownings, is now under investigation. There is no indication as to when the results of the investigation will be made available to the public. With that said, there are some essential facts known about the incident that resulted in the 49-year-old woman’s drowning death.
Facts and Circumstances Surrounding New Jersey Drowning Death
On Tuesday, September 29, 2020, a family of four was enjoying the day at a Cape May public beach. In addition to the mother were her two sons, ages 8 and 10. In addition, her 19-year-old daughter was present.
At about mid-afternoon, the three children were in the water while the mother was relaxing on the beach. For reasons yet to be determined, the three children in the ocean experienced distress for some reason and appeared to be drowning. What caused the children to end up in a drowning situation is one of the elements of the incident that currently is under investigation.
Evidently, the mother was the first person to see her children in distress in the water. She entered into the water to assist her struggling children. There is no information at this time as to whether or not lifeguards were on duty at the time of the incident. The reality is that not all public beaches in New Jersey and elsewhere have lifeguards on duty 100 percent of the time.
As the mother attempted to rescue her own children, she encountered some sort of difficulty in the water. She did ultimately drown.
Emergency rescue personnel were called via 911 at about 3:00 p.m. Police and fire rescue units were on the scene immediately. EMTs immediately spotted the four swimmers in distress and initiated rescue protocols. They were able to save the three children. Unfortunately, by the time emergency rescue personnel reached the mother – who was about 150 yards away from the children – she was not breathing and unresponsive. Although CPR was performed, the mother later was declared dead at an area hospital.
Questions Surrounding Drowning Death at Public Beaches
The unfortunate drowning death incident in which the lives of three others appears to have been in reach danger raises a variety of questions concerning safety at public beaches. Chief among these questions are issues surrounding the responsibility of municipalities and others when it comes to protecting the public who access these recreational areas.
A main area of concern centers on lifeguards. As mentioned, not all public beaches in the United States are protected by lifeguard and related personnel. If a person is injured or killed at a public beach because of drowning or another mishap at a public beach where lifeguards are not staffed, a fair question is raised regarding the lack of this type of personnel. An entity responsible for operating an open public beach needs to take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of those who access such a recreational area. The test is what would a similarly situated public beach have in the way of lifeguards and other personnel.
If the Cape May County beach where the mother fatally drowned did have lifeguard staff, a real question arises as to what was going on in this regard when the accident occurred. If the beach was staffed by lifeguards, a real red flag rises as to why the mother was the first person to respond to the children struggling in the water.
Protecting Your Legal Rights with a Drowning Accident Injury Lawyer
If you’ve lost a loved one in a fatal drowning incident, or if you’ve been injured as the result of drowning, the circumstances may indicate that you have legal recourse. A Doan Law Firm drowning accident lawyer is available to answer your questions and provide a case evaluation. You can arrange an initial consultation with a drowning accident lawyer any time by calling our nationwide firm at (800) 349-0000.
There is no charge for an initial consultation and case evaluation. Indeed, we make an attorney fee guarantee to you. We never charge an attorney fee unless we win for you.