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Paros: Father's harrowing account of 4-year-old's drowning - 'I performed CPR - We were shouting, crying, screaming'
🇬🇷 Greece /Crime & Justice

Paros: Father's harrowing account of 4-year-old's drowning - 'I performed CPR - We were shouting, crying, screaming'

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • A 4-year-old child drowned in a swimming pool at a beach bar in Paros, Greece, despite the father's attempts to resuscitate him.
  • The father claims the beach bar lacked a lifeguard and a first-aid kit, and alleges negligence by the establishment.
  • Legal action is being pursued by the father against the establishment's owner, who he claims falsely presented himself as a lifeguard.

Dramatic and tragic events unfolded at a beach bar in Paros, Greece, where a 4-year-old boy drowned in a swimming pool on Saturday afternoon. The child's father recounted the harrowing moments after discovering his son unresponsive in the water, describing his desperate attempts to revive the child.

If someone had been watching over the pool, my child would not have been lost.

— Father of the 4-year-oldThe father expressed his grief and frustration, suggesting that the presence of a lifeguard could have prevented the tragedy.

Speaking to Star, the father asserted that the beach bar was not equipped with a lifeguard or a first-aid kit, essential for accident response. He emphasized that he had not been far from his child when the incident occurred. "If someone had been watching over the pool, my child would not have been lost," he stated, his voice filled with anguish. He recounted how his daughter alerted him to the situation, and he immediately performed CPR and administered the "kiss of life" while he, his daughter, and others present cried and screamed.

The father further detailed the immediate aftermath, explaining that the bartender was the first to reach the child. He stated that the child had gone to the pool area, which was adjacent to where they were dining, and slipped and fell while he was momentarily distracted. The father stressed that the bartender's role was not to supervise the pool. He noted the absence of a defibrillator and a first-aid kit at the venue. The frantic rush to the health center, where medical professionals continued resuscitation efforts and provided oxygen, took 40 minutes.

I performed CPR and gave him the kiss of life. We were shouting, crying, screaming.

— Father of the 4-year-oldHe described his immediate, desperate actions to save his son after finding him in the pool.

Adding to the distress, the father intends to pursue legal action against the establishment's owner. He claims the owner, who is 68 years old, falsely presented himself as a lifeguard while allegedly being preoccupied with directing staff via an earpiece. "I will take legal action; I have already requested his criminal prosecution," the father declared, determined to hold those responsible accountable for the preventable tragedy.

I will take legal action; I have already requested his criminal prosecution.

— Father of the 4-year-oldThe father stated his intention to sue the beach bar owner, whom he accused of misrepresenting himself as a lifeguard.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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