Personal Injury Law

Mother And Child Drown in Jacksonville Pool

By Eddie Farah

There are many questions surrounding the drowning death of a young mother and her baby in an Arlington community pool on Wednesday.

Tiffany Sue Cecconi, 18, and her 18-month-old daughter, Kaylani, were found just after noon in a subdivision pool. The pool area is usually locked. Tiffany was said to be an accomplished swimmer. An unidentified 18-year-old man was found at the scene and hospitalized. He had reportedly ingested a great deal of chlorinated pool water. Investigators will be anxious to talk to him to determine if there was any foul play.

Our condolences and hearts go out to the family of this beautiful young mother and her child. What a tragedy unfolded to lose two such special people.

Neighbors wonder if a lightning strike might have hit the pool as area thunderstorms were occurring. We also understand that the pool was occasionally locked and wonder if there might have been undisclosed dangers around or in the pool area. Also neighbors report that kids break through the locked gates often and swim unsupervised as the pool doesn't have a lifeguard.

Florida law says the property owner is responsible for any injuries you receive while on his/her property more than 90% of the time. Whether you were an 'invitee,' a 'licensee' or even a 'trespasser,' the property owner generally will have some (if not all) responsibility for any injury you receive while on the property.

Florida has the highest unintentional drowning deaths in the nation for children between the ages of one to four and the third for other ages in the nation. In 2006, there were 72 drowning deaths of children under the age of four and Duval County is among the counties with the highest number of drowning deaths, according to the state department of health.

All of the pieces will be put together here eventually, but in the meantime all we do know is that there were two tragic losses Wednesday. Again, our condolences to the family and friends of Tiffany and Kaylani. #

Full post as published by Jacksonville Personal Injury Lawyer on July 09, 2009 (boomark / email).