Summer is a great time for swimming and playing in the pool! But this enjoyable summer-time activity presents some danger for young children.
A family in Massachusetts is warning parents to supervise their children around water after their 2-year-old son scaled a gate that was meant to prevent children from accessing the pool alone.
Keith Wyman was in the backyard with his family on Friday, June 15, when his son Cody began climbing the ladder to their new above-ground pool.
The concerned father quickly recorded his son’s feat to show other parents how easy it was for children to climb into the pool.
“So I’m posting this video after I found my 2-year-old Cody trying to climb our pool ladder when it was closed and locked,” Wyman wrote on his Facebook post.
“I just got it with the new pool.
“Tonya and I stress you to watch your kids around pools. I will be buying a new type of ladder!”
The footage shows the little boy pushing himself up the gate and reaching to the top of the ladder within seconds. Before he could get into the pool, a woman is seen carrying the 2-year-old down from the ladder.
The 41-second video has since been viewed over 25 million times and has over 714,000 shares.
Many social media users commented on how scary the incident would have been if the parents hadn’t been there.
“Thank you for sharing!!! So many times we think we’ve done the right thing and our kids just say ‘hold my milk!’ ! What a strong little climber you have on your hands! I hope this brings awareness to everyone that just because you have a safety gate doesn’t mean your child won’t still be able to get into the pool!” one user wrote.
“That is horrifying … Most drownings occur in backyard pools. Be sure to remove all ladders, benches, chairs, and get the toys out of the pools,” another user wrote.
The store where the family had bought the ladder and the pool offered to replace their ladder but the other gates had a similar design, reported Fox 10.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has a number of safety guidelines for above ground pools to prevent accidental drownings (pdf).
The guidelines suggest the ladder can be designed in a way that it can be removed or a barrier can be installed around the ladder to prevent access.
Know the importance of #watersafety! To learn more check out our website for essential tips: https://t.co/6IQcSmohT3 pic.twitter.com/ZgLMwGE92Q
— The ZAC Foundation (@ZACFoundation) July 11, 2017
Watch Next: