Swim instructor charged after 3-year-old boy nearly drowns during swimming lesson
(WFTV/CNN/Meredith) — A swim instructor in Florida is facing neglect charges after a three-year-old boy nearly drowned during a lesson last year.
Police said he spent almost two minutes under water, even though instructors were just feet away from him.
The incident was caught on video, where you can see the three-year-old boy in the pool at Park Maitland School lose the swim board he was holding onto and go under water.
He stays there for what feels like forever until an instructor, 34-year-old Jessica Kretz, notices him, snatches him from the water and calls 911 while another instructor begins performing CPR.
A report from Maitland police said he was under water for more than two minutes.
In the video, Kretz and at least one other instructor got within feet of him but still did not notice he was under water until minutes later.
The video shows four instructors in the pool. So far, only Kretz has been arrested and charged.
Documents we obtained from Maitland police may shed light on why — they say Kretz knew ahead of the incident that the little boy could not swim, and that he was “the responsibility of Kretz” when the accident happened.
When WFTV asked Park Maitland School for comment on Kretz’ arrest, they said in part “the instructors are no longer in our employ, and to our knowledge, the child is thankfully well.”
But attorney Larry Gonzalez, who is representing the little boy’s family in a civil suit, said the boy is not well and his family is devastated.
“He has suffered significantly and is still suffering to this day, still seeking medical treatment with doctors due to the damage that occurred. They put their trust in Park Maitland that they were going to be teaching their kid to swim,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez did not specify how the boy was still suffering.
The boy’s family said the accident should have never happened.
Maitland is about 15 minutes north of Orlando.
Photo Credit: Getty Images