Girl, 6, drowned after granduncle left her unattended at Sentosa hotel swimming pool: state coroner
SINGAPORE — A six-year-old girl who was left alone with a float in an adult swimming pool did not know how to swim, a coroner’s inquiry found on Monday (15 April).
Andrea Hailey Tan Yan Ying was found fully submerged in Festive Hotel’s swimming pool shortly after her granduncle had left her to bring his son to the jacuzzi pool on 7 October last year. The granduncle thought his grandniece could swim, even though she had never taken swimming lessons.
No one else was watching the girl and the Resorts World Sentosa hotel had no lifeguard.
On Monday, State Coroner Kamala Ponnampalam said, “What was singularly lacking was adult supervision. Andrea, who stood at 118 cm, and who was unable to swim, was left unattended in the adult swimming pool with a depth of 1.2 meters.
“Her grand uncle held the mistaken belief that she knew how to swim. He also placed faith in the swimming float to keep her safe.”
The day of the incident
Andrea, her grandmother, granduncle, and granduncle’s three-year-old son were on vacation at the Festive Hotel from 6 to 8 October 2018.
On 7 October, at around 10am, the family headed to the hotel’s swimming pool.
Andrea had only just received the float, purchased by her grandmother, the day before. It was her first time using a float.
The granduncle took both children to the kids’ pool before visiting the ”water play” area.
Andrea’s grandmother was seated by the poolside, under a concrete hut that was next to the kids’ pool and the water play area.
After some time, the granduncle brought his son and Andrea to the adult pool. Andrea entered the pool and used the float.
According to the granduncle, Andrea would stick her face into the water and blow bubbles.
The granduncle then guided his toddler son across the pool and exited the pool. He took his son to the jacuzzi pool without telling Andrea that he would be leaving her alone.
Shortly after Andrea was left unattended, her grandmother saw her swimming float drifting along the breadth of the adult pool.
The elderly woman saw her lying face down and fully submerged under the water. When Andrea did not respond to her shout, the elderly woman cried for help.
She attracted the attention of the granduncle, who was returning from the jacuzzi pool. He dived into the pool and brought her out of the water. CPR was subsequently applied and Andrea and she was conveyed to hospital where she was diagnosed to have a sustained submersion injury.
During her 10 days of medical treatment, Andrea’s condition steadily deteriorated and she died on 17 October last year, at around 2.50am.
Testimony from the family
Andrea’s granduncle testified that he believed Andrea knew how to swim without a float as she was not afraid to get into the water.
He recalled that on a previous occasion in June last year, he had brought Andrea to a swimming pool during their stay at Hotel Michael. On that occasion, Andrea and his son did not use swimming floats but used the life buoys to swim in the adult pool.
Andrea’s grandmother testified that she did not realise the granduncle had brought the children to the adult pool. He also had not informed her that he had left Andrea unattended.
Andrea’s father also said he he had brought Andrea to her grandmother’s house before the Festive Hotel visit.
He received the call about Andrea’s accident on 7 October, at around 10.45 am. He stated that prior to the incident, Andrea did not own a swimming float and had never attended any swimming lessons. She was unable to swim.
He added that he was aware that Andrea had gone into an adult swimming pool while staying at Hotel Michael
Andrea’s father also questioned if the safety measures at Festive Hotel were sufficient to prevent drowning.
However the State Coroner found no shortcomings in the design and maintenance of the adult swimming pool at Festive Hotel.
Said SC Ponnampalam, “Guests at the swimming pool were sufficiently warned of the absence of lifeguards by prominently placed signages.”
Instead the SC pointed to the lack of adult supervision as a factor. “A floatation device like a swimming float is not a substitute for constant, vigilant, adult supervision. The float may come dislodged and float away leaving the child stranded,” she said.
She noted that a child of small stature might not be able to keep his or her head above water.
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