A California family has learned all too well that it only takes a minute for a tragedy to happen. Three-year-old Mateo Martinez was swimming in the pool with some neighborhood friends, having a good time. The boys got out of the pool and went inside. Mateo’s father also went inside to get some ice cream. His parents didn’t realize that he went back outside after eating his ice cream.
Mateo’s father was in the front yard while his mom was inside cooking dinner. No one was out back with Mateo. His father didn’t realize that his son found his way back into the pool until it was too late. When he went into the backyard, he found his 3-year-old son unconsciousness in the pool. Apparently, no one realized the gate to the pool was accidentally left open and Mateo made his way back into the pool area.
Mateo’s father is a firefighter so he instinctively jumped in and pulled his son out. He performed CPR while his wife called 911. A neighbor ran over to help until emergency crews arrived. When they did, Mateo was rushed to the hospital.
The little boy spent the first three days in the ICU. He has since been discharged and is expected to make a full recovery thanks to his father’s quick actions. When Mateo was discharged, his neighbors and family welcomed him back home with a parade.
Although Mateo’s story has a happy ending, not all children are as lucky. In this case a pool gate was in place, but wasn’t securely closed when everyone got out of the pool. It’s extremely important to not only lock all pool gates but to also make sure all home doors are locked so that kids can’t slip out unexpectedly.
At Protect-A-Child Pool Fence, we not only provide people with pool fences but also gates and locks. We are committed to educating people about the importance of having a pool fence around their pool as well as sturdy locks. Contact us for information about the various types of pool fences we have available as well as the locks to go along with them. Contact us today (Protect-A-Child Pool Fence) so we can start making your pool area safer for everyone. By protecting your pool, you’re protecting your family from falling victim to tragedy.
