Just Watch Your Kids

Newcastle Herald

Monday December 1, 2008

By KYLIE WILLIAMS

THE uncle of a "vivacious" and "lively" two-year-old boy who drowned in his family's swimming pool at Charlestown made an emotional plea yesterday to other Hunter families.

"Just watch the kids."

"Please, just watch the kids," David Stevens said, describing how the family of little Harry Connors was still trying to piece together how he came to be alone in the fenced pool area on Saturday night.

Harry was the third toddler to drown in a NSW backyard pool in less than a week.

Family members found him in their pool at Kalora Crescent just after 7pm.

Mr Stevens described his nephew as an energetic boy who loved animals and going to the zoo.

"He was just a lively, vivacious little boy," he said.

Continued Page 2

* SWIM LESSONS DECLINE

* BEACH DROWNINGS UP

REPORTS, PAGE 7

Family's plea after another pool drowning

From Page 1

Family members gathered at the home of Harry's parents, Scott and Janelle Connors, yesterday.

Harry was the middle of three children with an older sister and younger brother.

Six ambulance crews attended the accident on Saturday night and doctors at John Hunter Hospital worked on Harry for 45 minutes.

Paramedics praised Harry's father, who tried to revive his son using CPR.

"It's a tragic situation but the efforts of the child's father and neighbours deserve to be praised; they did everything possible," paramedic Scott Hardes, who attended the scene, said.

"This really shows why it's so important for people to learn CPR."

Harry is the third toddler in NSW to drown in a backyard swimming pool in less than a week, after twins Ethan and Matthew Hill died in similar circumstances on the Central Coast.

The 21-month-old twins were riding plastic bikes around the sunroom of their St Huberts Island home last Monday night, before they let themselves outside and ended up in the pool.

Both boys were rushed to Gosford Hospital but Ethan died a short time later.

Matthew was flown to Sydney's Prince of Wales Hospital in a critical condition but died on Thursday.

Harry's death also came at the start of National Water Safety Week.

As part of the campaign the NSW Government is urging homeowners to check the safety of their backyard pools.

Kidsafe Hunter co-ordinator Leonie Forsyth told The Herald last week that, on average, two Australian children drowned every week.

She said most were under five years of age and almost half drowned in domestic swimming pools.

SAD TALLY

November 18, 2008 Travis, 15 months, and Riley O'Neill, 4, drown with their father Shane at Tathra. The boys fell from an ocean pier into rough seas; their father tried to save them.

January 12, 2008 A five-year-old girl is revived after being dragged unconscious from a lagoon at Wattamolla Beach south of Sydney. It is believed she suffered a fit while swimming.

December 26, 2007 Axel Moore, 15 months, drowns in his family's backyard pool at Kenthurst in Sydney. His father said the pool gate was definitely shut.

December 14, 2007 A three-year-old girl drowns in her family's backyard pool in Bargo. Her family say the pool gate was shut.

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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