Causes of child drowning!

Accidental drownings as a cause of death rank second among accidents, injuries, and poisonings in children. The main causes of child drowning are children's inability to swim and their presence near water without adult supervision. Accidents occur not only due to violations of water safety rules but also due to swimming in unequipped bodies of water and the lack of adult supervision over minors while swimming.

In the Vitebsk region, two children have drowned in bodies of water since the beginning of the year (Dokszyce and Orsha districts).

Specifically, on 11.06.2022, a 16-year-old teenager drowned while swimming on an inflatable mattress in the "Shchetinka" quarry in Orsha, which is designated as a place for public recreation. On that day, the child asked his legal representatives for permission to go to a cafe to celebrate the end of the 9th grade, but did not inform the adults that the children would be going to the quarry. The teenager could not swim. OSVOD employees recovered the child's body from the water, but it was not possible to save him.

It is noteworthy that in almost every case, the causes of drowning of minors, along with their personal carelessness on the water, also include the lack of parental control over the behavior and leisure activities of the deceased. It is parents who must understand that no matter how old a child is, whether a preschooler or a student, they should not be near water without adult supervision. And it is parents who are obliged to talk to their children about everything that can happen, warn them about dangers, and explain the consequences.

During the active swimming season and summer holidays, the Vitebsk Regional Prosecutor's Office warns citizens about the need to observe water safety rules, especially for minors, and to prevent leaving young children unattended.

Take care of your children!

Assistant Regional Prosecutor for Supervision of Legislation Enforcement on Minors and Youth E.V. Osipenko