Children's Safety Zone

Summer is an extremely dangerous time for Arizona children around water, especially in swimming pools.

Drowning is the leading cause of death for children between 1 and 4 years old in the state, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. It’s an alarming statistic, but should be even more alarming to parents of autistic children.

“If (autistic children) are seeking sensory input from water, that’s particularly dangerous at this time of year,” said Christopher J. Smith of the Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center in Phoenix.

Smith said autistic children are more likely to gravitate towards things that make them feel good, and water can be especially inviting.

Smith said the number of children diagnosed with autism is climbing rapidly.

“We went from one in roughly 100 to one in 88,” he said.

“We always operate under the assumption that there are many kids that are being missed,” he said.

Which means many parents might not realize the added danger their child could face around water, he said.

“I think it’s particularly dangerous for kids with autism because they may be less inhibited than other kids and they’ll have no problem going to seek something they’re interested in, even if it’s in a neighbor’s back yard,” Smith said.

Elisa Cazares-Hart wishes she had been aware of that potential danger sooner. Her autistic son, Eric, was just 2 when he drowned in a backyard pool.

“I told (Smith) it was an accidental drowning. He says well, unfortunately, autistic kids and adults are drawn to water.”

Cazares-Hart said that it took her a while to understand the attraction.

“For a while I didn’t really understand it because it was raining, it was cold – what attracted him?” she said.

Smith said educating parents of autistic children is key.

“If a gate is left open they can see a way into a pool, they’re probably going to go for it more so than any typically developing kid,” Smith said.

A 54-year-old woman has died in an apparent drowning in Chandler, police said.

The victim was identified Tuesday as Grace Hawley.

Chandler Police said Hawley’s husband called 911 around 5 p.m. Monday and told authorities his wife had drowned.

Emergency crews responded to the home near Kyrene and Ray and performed CPR. Hawley was pronounced dead at the scene.

The case is under investigation.

GILBERT – A 3-year old child has been pulled from a backyard pool in Gilbert and flown to Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

Firefighters tell us the boy was outside with his family near Germann and Power when he slipped off his floaties and then somehow got into the pool.

His family spotted him about a minute later and pulled him from the water.

He was not breathing — but a family member started CPR.

By the time paramedics arrived the boy was coughing up water and is expected to survive.

Five-year-old Joseph Behner recently dove into a pool fully clothed from his long-sleeve shirt down to his dark blue jeans and laced-up sneakers.

He was among four other kids bobbing in the water fully clothed at Aqua-Tots Swim School in north Peoria during an afternoon class.

Although giggling and splashing, the young kids were taking part in a serious lesson — learning what it feels like to fall into water fully clothed.

Most drownings don’t occur in bathing suits, according to the swim school. Rather, it’s sometimes the child who has wandered into the backyard and stumbled into the pool. And it is a different sensation to be in water with the weight of jeans and sneakers.

“Little kids are curious about the water,” said El Mirage resident Marie Behner as she watched her young son in the pool.

Behner remembers a time when Joseph wanted to jump into their neighbors’ pool, out of curiosity. Joseph, being fully clothed and not knowing how to swim, got the OK from his mom and plunged into the pool.

“He sunk right to the bottom and I went in after him,” said Behner, who had also felt the weight of her clothes.

Now, after about a year of taking lessons at Aqua-Tots, Joseph is completely comfortable in the water — as Behner glanced over at him doing a nice backstroke during the lesson.

“They could be the best swimmer, but they don’t know how to swim with their clothes on,” she said. “The weight drags you down.”

Aqua-Tots trainer Laura Adrian, in the pool with the children, reminded them what to do if they’re in trouble: turn on your back and float.

The fully clothed swim lesson was part of the swim school’s drowning-prevention initiative.

Drowning is the second-leading cause of injury-related deaths for kids ages 1-14, according to the Peoria Fire Department.

“We’ve found a great need to start preparing our kids as early as possible,” said Jamie Cartledge, owner of the Aqua-Tots Peoria franchise, which opened in 2007 near 78th Avenue and Deer Valley Road.

The school teaches children ages 2ﾽ and up to swim and the recent session of swimming with regular clothes was added to their regular lesson.

The lessons will run quarterly; starting again mid-summer and in the fall, Cartledge said.

Maricopa County saw 49 drownings last year, according to Children’s Safety Zone, an Arizona-based organization that tracks drowning incidents.

This year, the Valley has seen three child fatalities involving water, according to a report by Children’s Safety Zone.

Last week, in Phoenix, a 2-year-old boy drowned after falling into an unfenced backyard pool near 59th Avenue and Encanto Boulevard.

Behner said she and her husband are more than excited that Joseph is learning about swim safety.

“This (program) is exceptional,” said Behner, “Joseph loves it, and can’t wait to come back.”

CHANDLER, AZ – A Chandler mom is credited with saving her 2-year-old daughter from nearly drowning Wednesday afternoon.

Initial reports indicate the woman found the toddler in the backyard pool of their home near Elliot Road and Loop 101.

Chandler Fire Department spokesman Brad Miller said the woman performed CPR on her daughter until crews arrived. When firefighters got to the home the girl was reportedly alert and crying.

The child was transported to a local hospital for evaluation.

Firefighters are unsure how long the girl had been in the pool.