Parents Demand Transparency After Child’s Near-Drowning at Westchester Summer Camp

A Westchester County family is seeking answers and advocating for increased oversight of summer camps after their five-year-old son suffered a near-drowning incident last June. The harrowing experience has ignited a debate about water safety regulations and the accessibility of critical safety information for parents.

Ashley LaRue and Brandon Shenkman received the call no parent ever wants to hear: their son had lost consciousness in a swimming pool while attending a summer camp operated by staff at the Saw Mill Club in Mount Kisco. According to Shenkman, “They found him floating in the pool and my whole body went numb.” The child was rescued by a private swim instructor, who was not affiliated with the camp, and administered CPR.

A subsequent investigation by a county health inspector revealed significant safety concerns. The inspector’s report detailed that children aged four and five were permitted in water depths up to five feet without adequate staff supervision, and crucially, no staff were present in the water to monitor non-swimmers at the time of the incident. This lack of oversight directly contributed to the dangerous situation.

A History of Safety Concerns

The incident isn’t isolated. Records indicate that the Saw Mill Club and its sister facility, Saw Mill Club East, have faced multiple citations in the two years prior to the near-drowning for insufficient lifeguard supervision at various pools, spanning both the current and previous ownership. This pattern raises serious questions about the consistent prioritization of camper safety.

“If I would have known the issues that had been ongoing, he would never have gone there,” LaRue stated, expressing the anguish of a parent who feels betrayed by a lack of readily available information. The family believes that a centralized database of safety records would have empowered them to make a more informed decision.

Shenkman echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need for transparency: “If there were some easy way to pull the history of incidents at a camp, or at another care institution, or an after-school program and just see really what’s going on because there’s no transparency there. We would have never sent him there.”

Legal Action and Calls for Reform

LaRue and Shenkman have filed a lawsuit against the summer camp and its parent company, Genesis Health Clubs, seeking accountability for the incident. Their legal counsel, Steven Dorfman, is also exploring potential legislation to mandate the public disclosure of safety records for camps and similar facilities. “I was stunned to see that there is no transparency in this field,” Dorfman explained. “I’m taking it upon myself to investigate whether or not there could be any legislation that we can push forward to make that type of information known to parents.”

This call for greater transparency aligns with recommendations from New York’s Temporary Commission to Prevent Childhood Drowning. Last year, the Commission published a report advocating for a “user-friendly web-based clearinghouse” to consolidate data on drowning and water-related injuries, providing parents and communities with crucial safety information.

Kaitlin Krause, a member of the Commission and founder of Rising Tide Effect, a nonprofit focused on swim instruction and water safety, underscored the importance of such a platform. “If we can create a central platform, user friendly, a clearinghouse type of thing, where we can bring in all of the drowning data, the injury reports, the facility safety reports, we would equip parents and communities with way better options to make decisions on where they want to send their families to go and learn to swim.”

Genesis Health Clubs, while initially unresponsive to inquiries from the I-Team, reportedly informed News 12 Westchester last summer that they had increased lifeguard staffing and enhanced water safety protocols following the near-drowning. However, the family’s lawsuit and the ongoing calls for legislative action highlight the need for systemic change.

The Saw Mill Club has also faced prior legal challenges. In 2018, Karen Hinton, a former aide to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, filed a lawsuit against the club alleging negligence after a treadmill accident resulted in a severe brain injury. The club has denied wrongdoing, and a trial is scheduled for later this year.

What level of responsibility should summer camps and recreational facilities bear for ensuring the safety of children in their care? And how can we best balance the need for transparency with the potential for unfairly damaging reputations?

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance and advocacy in ensuring the safety of our children. By demanding greater transparency and supporting legislative efforts, parents can help create a safer environment for all young campers.

Share this article with other parents and join the conversation in the comments below. What additional safety measures do you believe are necessary for summer camps?

Disclaimer: This article provides general information and should not be considered legal or medical advice. Consult with qualified professionals for specific guidance.