ANDERSON ISLAND, Wash. — A 13-year-old died after he drowned at Lowell Johnson Park, on Anderson Island, on July 16.
The boy was underwater for five minutes, before being pulled out by an adult who performed CPR. When the fire department arrived, the child was airlifted to Mary's Bridge Children's Hospital, where he died the next day.
The Steilacoom Town Administration is not releasing the child’s name and is asking everyone to respect the family’s privacy.
The boy was on Lowell Johnson Park as part of a Steilacoom-based summer camp. The camp’s activities for the week of July 18 were canceled.
“We’ve expressed our condolences to the family and our thoughts and prayers are with them at this time,” said Paul Loveless, the Steilacoom Town administrator.
As temperatures get warmer, rescue workers urge caution when swimming in western Washington, after a summer season with several drowning incidents.
On June 26, a 12-year-old boy died at Davies Beach in Lake Stevens, and two other kids were in critical condition. That same weekend, a Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldier drowned while he was swimming at Shoreline Park. Also that weekend, a 4-year-old drowned at Everett’s Silver Lake and a 20-year-old swimmer was presumed drowned after went missing and was presumed drowned at Green River Gorge. His body was recovered on July 6.
After these incidents, rescue workers are asking swimmers to wear life jackets when they are in the water.
Sgt. Rich Barton with King County Sheriff's Office Marine Rescue Dive Unit says he's seen a rise in drownings over the last two years, explaining that often these cases are for people who are not wearing life jackets. About two-thirds of drowning deaths could have been prevented by a life jacket, according to King’s County data.
Life jackets are important because even competent swimmers are at risk.
The reason? Although temperatures on land are high, water temperatures might not, and lakes and rivers in western Washington might still be cold, which can be dangerous for swimmers.
“Cold water immersion causes an involuntary gasp and that’s when you ingest water," Barton said. "That’s a very quick rapid shock to the body where you can’t overcome and you basically succumb to a drowning."
