By George R. Fusner, Jr. and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
A 12-year-old drowned in a pond in Bethpage, Tennessee. The 12-year-old, Arthur Hawk Suddarth III, was visiting a friend, Hope Postell, when he went into the small pond to swim. It was reported that Postell said she observed Suddarth go into the pond and not come back up. Hope then went over to a neighbor’s house and called 911. Authorities responded to the call of possible drowning around 7:00 PM. A Volunteer Fire Department member was able to recover Suddarth from the pond. Suddarth was later pronounced dead at Sumner Regional Medical Center.
This family and community have suffered a tragic loss. During this time of year water activities are at their peak and when around water, children are at risk of drowning. It only takes a matter of seconds for a child to drown, whether in a pool, lake, ocean, kiddie pool, or small pond. Safety precautions should be taken to either eliminate, reduce, or restrict a child’s access to water. Ponds, lakes, and other natural waterways are especially dangerous since the depths are unpredictable, changes in depth vary, and visibility to the bottom even in shallow water can be difficult.
To read more about this accident see 12-year-old Tennessee Boy Drowns in Small Pond.
Also, if you would like to read more safety tips see Facts and Safety Tips Around Pools and Other Areas of Water.