A heartbreaking tragedy unfolded in southeast Atlanta on Saturday afternoon when a 2-year-old girl drowned in a backyard swimming pool at a home located along the 2700 block of Memorial Drive SE. According to Atlanta police, officers arrived at the home around 2:40 p.m. in response to an emergency call regarding a possible drowning. When they arrived, the toddler had already been removed from the water.
Emergency responders immediately rushed the child to a local hospital, but despite life-saving efforts, she was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Authorities stated that the drowning appeared to be accidental. Crime scene tape was placed around the pool as part of the initial investigation, and officers remained on-site until just before 6:00 p.m. that evening.
FOX 5 News reported that the drowning occurred at a private residence with a backyard pool. A neighbor told reporters that the family had moved into the home about five months ago and noted that he had seen children playing outside previously. He did not personally know the residents but recalled seeing a woman waving down a firetruck in the yard as he returned from errands on Saturday.
The sight of emergency vehicles and police tape around the home was a chilling reminder of how quickly water-related accidents can turn fatal—especially when children are involved.
Backyard pools are a common feature of many homes, especially in warmer regions like Georgia, but they also represent one of the greatest hazards for young children. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 1 to 4, and the vast majority of these tragedies occur in home swimming pools.
Children can slip into a pool silently, without splashing or calling out. It only takes a moment of distraction or an unsecured gate for a curious toddler to find their way to the water. In many cases, these drownings happen even when adults are nearby—highlighting the need for layers of preventive protection rather than reliance on supervision alone.
While investigators believe this incident was a tragic accident, it brings renewed attention to the safety responsibilities of homeowners with pools on their property. In Georgia, and many other states, property owners are required to take reasonable precautions to prevent unsupervised access to pools, particularly by children.
Essential residential pool safety measures include:
Four-sided fencing that completely encloses the pool area and separates it from the home
Self-closing, self-latching gates with childproof locks
Pool alarms and door alarms that notify homeowners of entry
Visible safety signage indicating pool rules and emergency procedures
Proper lighting and barriers to reduce risk during evening hours
Even with these safeguards, active adult supervision and CPR training remain essential for families with young children.
When a drowning occurs on private property, legal liability may come into play—especially if safety measures were missing, inadequate, or ignored. Homeowners have a legal duty to maintain a safe environment on their premises, and that includes preventing foreseeable hazards like unsupervised access to a swimming pool.
In wrongful death or premises liability cases involving children, attorneys will investigate factors such as:
Was the pool properly enclosed?
Were safety devices like gates and locks functioning?
Was the pool compliant with local codes?
Were there known risks that went unaddressed?
If negligence or failure to follow safety regulations contributed to the incident, families may have the right to pursue civil claims for compensation and justice.
At Aquatic Attorneys, we stand with families who have suffered unthinkable losses due to pool-related accidents. Led by nationally recognized injury attorney Michael Haggard, Esq., our firm has decades of experience handling drowning and near-drowning cases with care, compassion, and legal precision.
Our team investigates every angle—from property conditions to building code compliance—and holds negligent parties accountable when preventable safety failures lead to devastating consequences.
If your family has experienced a tragedy involving a swimming pool, know that you are not alone. Contact Aquatic Attorneys today for a free and confidential consultation. We’re here to listen, guide, and fight for the justice your loved one deserves.
Source:
https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/child-drowns-home-southeast-atlanta
