Pool safety issues highlighted at inquest into toddler's drowning

A coronial inquest is examining the circumstances surrounding the drowning death of a 19-month-old boy in a backyard swimming pool at his family's rented home in Salisbury, Adelaide, in November 2022.

Counsel assisting the coroner, Darren Evans, stated that on the day of the incident, the toddler was with his mother and siblings. His sister discovered him floating near the pool's steps around 5:20 p.m. after he went missing. Neighbors heard the commotion and assisted by calling emergency services and commencing CPR.

Paramedics arrived to find the boy on the living room floor. After approximately 30 minutes, spontaneous circulation returned, and he was transported to the Women's and Children's Hospital. However, he died seven days later due to a severe hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy injury following cardiac arrest, with medical professionals determining his condition was irreversible.

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It may be that it remains unknown who opened the pool gate on the day of his death, but it appears to be open at the time he's retrieved from the water.

The inquest heard that the pool gate was secured with a bicycle lock due to a missing top hinge. The boy's father had noticed the broken hinge but did not report it to the landlords, believing he could fix it himself. A review commissioned by police found "significant" safety issues with the fencing, including the gate not closing automatically.

Deputy State Coroner Emma Roper noted the profound impact the death would have on the siblings and that it remains unknown who opened the pool gate. The investigation continues into the safety of the pool fencing and the circumstances leading to the child's death.

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The most notable of those were the fact the gate did not close by itself, there w