Some people, upon hearing of a drowning death, have the tendency to stigmatize the victim, or in the case of a child drowning, to blame the parents of the drowned child. It’s beyond cruel to read the comments accompanying some news stories shared on social media.
Unthinking commentators and internet trolls alike can make hateful and tone-deaf remarks that the person who lost their life did so because they were foolish or otherwise to blame for their own fate. But not only is this abhorrent, it also is often untrue.
People of all ages die from drowning all the time. Some can’t swim, but others are very good swimmers that for one reason or another, succumbed to the watery conditions. Perhaps they suffered a medical emergency and couldn’t get to shore on their own. In some boating accidents, the drowning victims may have been guest passengers who had nothing to do with the operation of the vessel.
The bottom line is that anyone is subject to drowning at any time should the conditions go suddenly wrong. In children up to age four, drowning is the number one cause of death. For people of all ages living here in the United States, drowning is the fifth leading cause of fatalities.
Can some drownings be prevented? Of course. People of all ages and skill levels should learn all they can about water safety. Having basic swimming skills may one day keep you afloat long enough for a rescue team to save you.
If you lost a loved one to drowning in a boating accident, you may be able to seek compensation for your losses and other damages.