PHOENIX — It's a tragic trend in the Valley that is only expected to get worse.
13 kids, from newborns to five years old, have drowned in Maricopa and Pinal counties in 2024. That's one higher than the entire year of 2023, according to Children's Safety Zone.
“Right now it’s so imperative to watch your kids around water," said Captain Todd Keller with Phoenix Fire Department.
The majority of the deaths happened in Phoenix. Captain Keller said their numbers doubled from last year going from four drownings in 2023 to eight in 2024- a record that drowning prevention advocates do not want to ever see broken.
“It is extremely frustrating," said Lori Stauffer, the vice president of the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Arizona.
Her organization studies these tragic incidents and she said in 70 percent of the cases, the kids were not expected to be around water.
"They're drowning in their street clothes, not in their swimsuit,” Stauffer said.
It comes down to parents or guardians not paying attention to what their kids are doing, she said. Either being distracted by their phones or trusting that their children will be okay.
When asked if there are any other common trends with these incidents, Stauffer said parents who lost their kids to drowning don't believe that this is something that can happen to them.
"The only thing that we can figure out is that people aren't understanding that this is something that can happen to them. This is a tragedy that no one wants to experience," Stauffer said. "I know too many families who have said, 'This is a club I never wanted to belong to.'"
She said protective barriers around pools that lock are a must. Swimming lessons and Coast Guard-approved life vests can also save lives.
"Floaties are toys, please don't put those on your children and think that they're going to save them," she said.
Overall, the most important measure to take is to have constant supervision of your children, whether they are out enjoying the pool or not.
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