The 4-year-old son of television producer James Veres and actress Ursula Karven died from asphyxiation at a pool party hosted by Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee at his Malibu home on Saturday.
Daniel Karven Veres drowned while he attended a pool birthday party for Lee’s 5-year-old son.
While many people were in attendance at the party, apparently no one saw or heard the boy as the accident happened. He was found under a flotation device in the shallow end of the pool before he was pulled out. Lee called 911 and CPR was attempted, to no avail.
Veres was pronounced dead after being taken to Los Robles Hospital in Thousand Oaks.
This is the second drowning accident in less than a month to take place in the area. Recently, a 9-year-old boy in Calabasas, Oliver Johnston, was also the victim of drowning in a residential pool despite the fact that he knew how to swim. The Los Angeles County Fire Dept. reports that most drowning accidents occur in private pools. A majority of the victims are children.
Officials say alertness should be a priority for backyard pool users.
In a party setting, people are easily preoccupied and under the false impression that someone is watching the children in the pool. But this impression can have tragic consequences.
Malibu’s Parks and Recreation director, Paul Adams,talked about safety for backyard pool owners.
One important part of a pool safety plan, specifically during a party, should include the designation of a “water watcher,” a person who is watching the water, similar to a “designated driver.”
It may be helpful to purchase or make a key ring with a tag on it that says “lifeguard” or “water watcher.” This person should not leave the pool area until a replacement arrives.
“Often four of five parents are out watching the kids, but they get involved in other things and think somebody else is watching,” explained Adams.
By designating a water watcher, you ensure that the person will not walk off. “You can trade around the Water Watcher designation,” said Adams.
The designated water watcher should stay out of the pool so they can have an overview of what is going on.
But there are limitations to this plan. “When you have a situation with many kids who are unfamiliar with the pool (like at a party), the best thing to do is to hire a professional lifeguard,” said Adams.
They are trained to look at every situation and see the hazards that may be there.
The trick for most people is sticking to it and recognizing that the one time when you turn away is the time when an accident usually happens.
Moreover, “When people are starting to think about using their backyard pools, they need to make sure they have everything ready,” said Adams. Safety equipment is not just a life ring near the pool, it should also include a working phone available by the pool at all times.
During an emergency, running into the house to use the phone takes away precious time, explained Adams. Or if the phone rings in the house, a person leaves the pool area thinking the call will only take a minute.
Adams suggested that families have an emergency plan. “Knowing what to do if an emergency happens, just like fire safety, can increase the chances of survival in case of an accident,” he said. When every family member knows what the rules are and what to do, chances of survival are drastically increased. “There are stories every year about 5 and 6 year olds saving a sibling because they knew what to do.”
Once the pool is ready, with all the equipment, the phone and a plan, then you need to simply follow the rules that were set.
Alcohol and water don’t mix. If there is drinking going on, the people drinking should not be using the pool and they should not be responsible for watching the kids.
The American Red Cross has water safety tips on their Web site at redcross.org. It states that no one is immune from drowning, not even experienced swimmers; therefore, people should never swim alone.