OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – Two young cousins aged four and six were saved from potential drowning at the Will Rogers Family Aquatic Center in Oklahoma City, due to the vigilance of onsite lifeguards. Tragically, the alleged abuser, arrested recently, is said to be a relative.
In June, despite the children swimming in a shallow area, they were found unresponsive before lifeguards sprang into action. Mason Williams, the Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation Department supervisor, spoke of the emergency response, saying the on-duty lifeguard entered the water to make the save when he spotted the children submerged.
Expressing gratitude for the efforts of the lifeguards and a nearby pool-goer, Williams stated the lifeguards managed to evacuate the children from the water, even having to provide breaths to resuscitate one child.
In a surprising twist, the mother of one of the children, who also happens to be the maternal aunt of the other, was taken into custody on Wednesday. Witnesses reported the woman was seen pushing the kids underwater amidst cries from onlookers. However, the exact duration that the children were deprived of oxygen remains uncertain.
Williams said that two minutes underwater is almost the point of no return, emphasizing the gravity of the situation. Further, the accused woman’s daughter confessed to the police that her mother had attempted to force her to drink pool water.
The quick-thinking lifeguards, just 16 and 21 years old, received high praise for their decisive action during the crisis.
Though formal charges have yet to be filed, following her Wednesday interview with police, the woman admitted, “the defendant was adamant this was something she did not do. However, confessed that this was something she could have done,” according to the affidavit.