Girl Injured In Gruesome Pool Accident

Pump Sucked Out Part Of 6-Year-Old's Intestinal Tract After She Sat On Drain In Wading Pool

(AP)  A 6-year-old girl has been hospitalized after a horrifying accident at a swimming pool, when she sat on an open drain and a powerful suction pump tore out part of her intestinal tract.

Abigail Taylor was injured in the wading pool on June 29, according to her family.

Her father, Scott Taylor, told WCCO-TV that the suction caused a two-inch tear in Abigail's rectum and pulled out much of her small intestine. Doctors had to remove the part of her intestines that remained, according to the family's lawyer, Bob Bennett.

Abigail remained in intensive care at Children's Hospital on Thursday and appears to be doing better, Bennett said.

She was to undergo surgery on Friday, Bennett said. "She'll receive her nutrition through a port for the rest of her life," he said.

Bennett said the swimming pool's drain hole was improperly uncovered. However, the general manager of the club where the pool is located told the St. Paul Pioneer Press he did not think anything was wrong with the pool. He referred questions to the attorney for the club's insurance company, who declined to comment.

Several states have passed pool safety laws after children drowned or were disemboweled by drain suction. North Carolina, for instance, requires pools to have dual drains to diffuse the force of the suction and prevent children from being trapped.

[susieq_13]

How awful. I feel so bad for the girl having to have a port the rest of her life over something that could have been prevented. I don't believe in suing, but if the parents decide to, I don't blame them one bit.

[ralan40]

How awful, I'm wondering why a wading pool would have to have that amount of suction when it is usually smaller thus requiring less recirculation. This could have pulled a child under and drowned them if it had that much force to it. The pool I oversee DRAINS the water out from the skimmer on the wading pool and sends back to the main filter and treatment which goes out to main pool.
Many safety laws passed on pools only affect new construction. We were "grandfathered" in when the laws dictated that wading pools have to have it's own seperate pumps and stuff. It appears Having it's own system has it's own drawbacks as well. I'm glad we do not have this 'safety' feature.

[linfinster]

Too bad for that poor girl. While we can't expect 100% safety everywhere, it seems to me this could have been prevented.

oh and .. I ah, think Zoot has some anger issues with the USA .. lol

[funkiwiteboy]

our all 'no'ing judicial system actually has legislation stating that two drains are to be installed in a positive suction system to prevent this...

[jolsonbear]

Why does CBS put a comment section on a story like this? What is the point of giving idiots the oppourtunity to make thier sick remarks at this girls expense?

[rtw88]

"The comment about the girl using a "port" for "the rest of her life" is merely lawyer's granstanding *********, which is despicable at this stage of the event."

If her remaining small intestine was removed as stated in the article, is in fact an almost sure possibility that she may need nurishment by port and has nothing to do with lawyers being despicable.

[missingamerica]

Horrible. Is it so hard to design a drain cover that prevents the human body from completing a seal? Or a pump with a bypass valve? I think not...

[shammy0202]

I'm not one who thinks sue...sue..sue...BUT in this case...Oh yeah sue, the pain that child must have endured I say sue. It's a sad day when you can't be in any kind of pool and end up with an injury that horrific.

[rheola-2009]

We had a couple of similar occurences here in Australia some time ago, resulting in the relevant authority, moving to legislate against pool/spa pumps that were capable of doing such.
They had to be satisfactorily covered, or relocated out of potential harms way.

With reference to the sick comments, just ignore them, they are made by extremely sick people.

[gabbysmomrs]

Not long ago, at a family reunion, we carefully checked the drains in a Jacuzzi before we allowed the little ones in the pool. Being sure that any grate on the bottom is securely seated and sealed, is essential, whether you're a child or an adult. Adults can run into the same things either in the full-size pool, Jacuzzi, or kiddie pool, I've read of limbs being pulled into unsecured drains as well as hair. I don't know the outcome of these instances, but I do know some of them were fatal.

It all makes me remember all the afternoons when as children my friends and I went to the public pool and made a game of diving to the bottom and sitting on the drain.

Whether there is a law or not, take the responsibility for asking management about the security of the drains, better yet, check them yourself...careful, don't use your hands, arms, or feet to check...use something else to check their security! (At public pools I would expect you could ask a lifeguard to check it...don't let them intimidate you, if they won't do it for you, ask the manager on duty. So what if someone might think you're nuts. Better to be safe than sorry..for you, your children, other swimmers, and the pool managers/owners themselves.)

[zoobecca]

I had an incident in a Holiday Inn in Illinois when my son was six (20 years ago). It was one of the hotels with the pool and whirlpool located inside in the center of the complex. The whirlpool was low on water but we really didn't think it would be a hazard when we entered it. My son got his heel caught in the one of the suction drains. We had a terrible time trying to get it unstuck. The whole time he was crying.

When we got him lose his heel had a circular cut where it had been stuck. When we complained to the management they treated us as if the incident was our fault. They said that because the water was low the suction was increased. We suggested that they fill so that others would not be injured.

When we checked out the next morning the water level was still low. After reading this story I believe we were very fortunate to have gotten away with such a minor injury.

[aisat2666]

RHEOLA:

Who the hell would make lewd comments about something like this? Mental retardation is all I can say.

[gagirl40]

Presidential candidate John Edwards had a case exactly like this one some time ago. That little girl was also disemboweled. And some were angry at him for "frivolous" lawsuits. To me, if this isn't something you sue over, nothing is! This has obviously happened more than we know, so by now something should have been done about it. If not, they should be sued!

[gagirl40]

Presidential candidate John Edwards had a case exactly like this one some time ago. That little girl was also disemboweled. And some were angry at him for "frivolous" lawsuits. To me, if this isn't something you sue over, nothing is! This has obviously happened more than we know, so by now something should have been done about it. If not, they should be sued!

[likeitis5050]

Jolsonbear...find something more productive to do with your time while your mother is out doing God only knows what. Troll.

[sjw1253]

Jolsonbear...

Please stop your childish pranks!!! We got the message that you do not like this discussion.

Your feelings are not shared by all and I for one appreciate this discussion as it is informative and good to hear others' past issues.

This is a horrifying story and your protest has been noted. DO NOT RUIN THIS FOR THE REST OF US!!!

I have not read any comments that warrant your childish prank to protest something you do not like. Do you really think anyone will take you seriously when you do such things???

I think not... Hopefully they will make some changes to the format though to keep idiots like you from doing such things.

[sjw1253]

So Jolsonbear... you think you are being an adult??? It does not seem that way to me.

As I said... CBS has your message. I hope they kick you off of this for your abuse of this system. If they erased some messages - they have demonstrated they have a way that they can control sick comments.

I do not see your purpose and have read some informative comments - no thanks to your pranks...

[jolsonbear]

sjw1253,

[e-mail] and I'll give you my phone number if you want to talk to me. Otherwise SHUT UP

[sjw1253]

Please do not play these childish games with me -Jolsonbear...

You are not the only person who should enjoy the benefits of this site. You are only ONE person. Others, such as me have rights to our opinions as well. Stop ruining this for the rest of us!!!

You are being selfish and childish by playing your idiotic games. I would not be stupid enough to email you at your hotmail address as I am sure you are probably a spammer as well...

You truly do need to get a life - find something productive to do with your time. This is not productive...

[shanev137]

Sad CBS thinks this is headline news.

[jolsonbear]

sjw1253,

No dear, I am not a spammer. Far from it I run a highly successful business from home. I rely on CBS for the most comprehensive balanced news coverage of all the news organizations out there. I am expressing my opinion and have not addressed anyone else who posts here until, like you, they attack me. You may post your opinion all you like, as can I. But when you decide to attack me because you do not like how I posted my protest I thought I would give you the opportunity stand behind your mouth. Obviously you don't have the courage. That's fine I'm not here to get into conversations with hotheads anyway. I'm here to get the news and, HOPEFULLY, make CBS understand how unnecessary it is to open certain stories for the kinds of inflammatory and sickening comments made on threads like this one.

Again, I wasn't addressing you, so if you don't want to talk to me, I suggest you don't address me either. I will continue to log my protest as long as CBS allows open commentary on this story.

[jolsonbear]

Yes, if one child is saved the story will have served it's purpose but the commentary wil not have. Your threat has been reported to CBS---maybe they willshut both of us down!!

[toolmangler-2009]

Jolsonbear, That was no threat, that was a promise. I CBS wants to shut me down for what I told you, let them go ahead. I would not want to be hear if they felt I was wrong. If you think I was kidding, try me. I have been posting here for a pretty good while and know what can be done.

[nyteryder2]

"I am expressing my opinion and have not addressed anyone else who posts here until, like you, they attack me. You may post your opinion all you like, as can I." Posted by Jolsonbear at 11:08 PM : Jul 05, 2007
-------------------

Although I agree with you part, I do not agree that you have the right to censor the freedom of speech of the rest of us. You are doing that by creating large blank pages that make it hard for the rest of us to make sense of this topic board.

This is a gruesome and very sad story and we have the right to discuss it on this board the same as if we were discussing it in our home or in our office.

In addition, CBS owns this site and they have the same freedom of speech and freedom of the press to print whatever they see fit, or unfit.

You, jolsonbear, are acting like prosecutor, judge, and jury in this matter--totally un-American as far as I'm concerned.

[nyteryder2]

"Therefore 'have at it' my friends and the devil take the hind-most. This is wonderful!!!" Posted by Jolsonbear at 11:42 PM : Jul 05, 2007
----------------

If jolsonbear thinks "This is wonderful!!!" then he is the sick one using this topic to get his own warped opinion voiced. LOL!!!

Sad for the little girl. Very sick for jolsonbear.

[toolmangler-2009]

I see you read one of my posts. Since you are familiar with my online items then you know that I won't lie as I mean what I say. BTW if you will notice, not once did I spam or curse you. That all I am asking from you, respect the freedoms we have and do not abuse them. I bid you goodnite but hope we can have a 'real conversation without all the extra verbage and wasted space. g_nite

[jolsonbear]

I am not censoring anyone here. I don't have the ability to delete any comments. Only the right to expressmy opinion and complain. Others may post as they see fit. There are still comments that were made early on mocking this poor childs tragedy that CBS has refused to remove. There are comments by others who are personally threatening me that CBS has refused to remove. CBS determines when to add a comment section and when to shut it down. Sometimes they do so after a certain amount of time elapses; sometimes based on the content of the comments made. It is apparent they aren't paying attention to this thread.

This is an important story. CBS has added a comment section and I am posting my comments. I haven't judged or prosecuted anyone and everyone has the oppourtunity to post thier own comments.

[toolmangler-2009]

That was no attack. I see you have a lot to learn
I merely told you what I would do, I have done nothing else.

[mediabrat60]

To jolsonbear;

Does this article bring up too many horrible childhood memories for you that you have to try and shut others out from talking about it? That's the only explaination for your behavior.

[toolmangler-2009]

If you've been here long enough to read my comments as far back as that one goes then youknow that zooty, seven_cents,and a few others are but a group of jihaddist or students trying to seem intelligent. lar008 is the biggest spammer next to you. final g_nite

[nyteryder2]

jolsonbear, that was stupid and childish of you to plagerize ToolMangler's post from another blog. LOL!!!

And contrary to what you might think (if you can think at all!), you are trying to censor us by attempting to take up all the space.

I have read all five pages and most, if not all, of the offending posts (except yours) have been removed. So what's your point? You crave the attention?

Let's see if your excessive useless posts can get the attention of the CBS censors.

[jolsonbear]

G'nite...and goodluck with that jeep

[jolsonbear]

Oh I do hope it gets CBS's attention....that is my goal. You see when a thread goes this awry, they just usually pull the whole thing. They won't pull the story. The story is important and informative and will be updated with new information. Just like the story about the poor child who was injured on the Six Flags ride. the story remained but the comment section was soon pulled. It violates no ones right to free speech if anothers speech takes up a lot of space. In fact it violates no ones free speech if a CBS comment section is pulled. The first ammendment doesn't gaurantee free access to CBS's web blogs---only to free speech. Those who wish to speak will always find a forum to do so. I just happen to believe that a story of this type of tragedy is not the place for some of the comments made here.....that is my opinion.

[jolsonbear]

oh and I wonder what the US Gov would think about a Canadian citizen posting threats against a US citizen

[nothappyatall]

"ar from it I run a highly successful business from home."

Yeah, is it called "COLLECTING UNEMPLOYMENT CHECKS" or is it "EARN $1000 a week STUFFING ENVELOPES AT HOME" ?
Poisonbear- you have the right to comment, but not disrupt a forum because you don't LIKE comments on it, if you DON'T like the comments then get the hel1 off the comment section and open a blog somewhere.
As far as Toolmangler's claim he can find people because he's an ISP rep- good luck- without an ip address you can't even begin, even WITH an IP address many are shared- especially AOL, mine is shared in a pool, mine if looked up shows a city of origin over 2 hours away- where my wireless broadband has it's offices, not where I'm at at all. They will also not release customer information without a court order, most ISP's will not release customer details with it.

[michellem99-2009]

You are acting like naughty boys and please it is a girl who will be disabled due to it. I know that is meaningless to boys who know very little. I heard on CNN. That poor child. She will never do what we can. Eat a plate of food,use the bathroom shall I go on.A child who did not ask for this. The persons who duty was to be sure the pool was safe, failed to do his/her job properly. We can learn something from this to be more careful. One is a grandfather he is in his 60s if I am right. The girl who now must learn a whole new way, and as she grows wantd to do as her friends but never will. I post here alot. So if your a business man that you say who did you scare from doing business with ya. I use my first name. I am 52 and I walk the talk. I see more with my mind than most with their fully sighted eyes. So you will be the fool who will bar a diabled from doing business with ya.Poor thing. I am 52. young man. I have walked out of business due to their treatmeat of the blind. Better yet I will go to the top that is over you if need be.

[nyteryder2]

"oh and I wonder what the US Gov would think about a Canadian citizen posting threats against a US citizen" Posted by Jolsonbear at 12:42 AM : Jul 06, 2007
--------------------

Who are you talking to/about? You're probably right about the jeep but what makes you think he's a Canadian citizen? And why would a government at war in a foreign land care about someone making a very mild threat on this topic board. LOL!!! You make no sense at all.

And what's with the BLOOD MONEY post? I wish you luck jolsonbear, you're really going to need it. But my thoughts and prayers are with the little girl who was injured in the pool. It's a very sad story and it shouldn't be demeaned by your nonsense.

[michellem99-2009]

toolmangler,Dear my post is not aimed at you. But the ones who can't handle the fact that are hahdicapped persons made that way thru carelessness. I see you as the grandfatherly and I loved my late grandfather. So yes I do express on the boards as I call them.Dear I have DSL have to as a legally blind person as I need the big print. It the girl and her special needs and she is that. Computer helps me learn. This is about a child. Think of her.

[jolsonbear]

I haven't disrupted anything. I am allowed to post 1500 characters everytime the publish button is ready. If you do not like it then contact CBS---maybe (hopefully) they will put some limitations on the comment section. Otherwise I will post as I see fit.

[jolsonbear]

my blood money post was about the Reserves paying reservist $2000 to coax thier friends into enlisting. That's blood money plain and simple. But not sure why some idiot saw the need to post it here?!?! go figure. I'm just having a blast getting all you stupid fools all riled up (and that includes the blind woman who couldn't use my product even IF I wanted to sell it to her). I've had enough fun for one night---I'm sure your all glad to see me go for a while. But don't worry I'll be back to haunt soon.

[nyteryder2]

"I haven't disrupted anything. I am allowed to post 1500 characters everytime the publish button is ready. ... Otherwise I will post as I see fit." Posted by Jolsonbear at 01:40 AM : Jul 06, 2007
------------------------
You have that right. You also have the right to be inconsiderate, and you definitely exercise that right. LOL!!

[nyteryder2]

"my blood money post was about the Reserves paying reservist $2000 to coax thier friends into enlisting. That's blood money plain and simple. But not sure why some idiot saw the need to post it here?!?! go figure." Posted by Jolsonbear at 01:46 AM : Jul 06, 2007
--------------------

The same "idiot" probably didn't see your need to post someone else's post from another blog.

Have you ever read "The Egoist?"

I thought you were a "troll" but gave you the benefit of the doubt and didn't say anything. Now I'm sure you are a troll.

A troll is an individual who chronically posts specious arguments, flames or personal attacks to annoy someone or disrupt a discussion. Trolls are recognizable by the fact that they have no real interest in learning about the topic at hand - they simply want to utter flame bait. Like the ugly creatures they are named after, they exhibit no redeeming characteristics, and as such, they are recognized as a lower form of life, as in, %u201COh, ignore him, he's just a troll.%u201D

I must be really BORED to even respond to this jerk. But on the other hand, it must really make his day!! Somebody actually listened to him!!

[robertkjjj]

Jolsonbear is obviously a bitter, angry, little person, living all alone, with no job and all the spare time in the world. I'm guessing he's a never-married man, an angry loser. Or perhaps a middle-aged lady with 10 cats and still a virgin. Jolson, you pathetic, annoying, selfish little loser. Go away.

[jolsonbear]

robertkjjj

Alas another troll jumping out form under the bridge. You are wrong on all accounts---Happily Married--No Cats--Not a virgin. Sorry but you are just as stupid as the rest of them.
I was going to go to bed but you folks are so EASY!!!

[shanev137]

Sad that CBS thinks this is news and that all you morons would come here and post all the garbage that you have.

[jolsonbear]

robertkjjj,

You should go back to posting stupid videos---Or maybe you should get your Netflix spamming project back on the road----like all the way to Israel.

[michellem99-2009]

I will step to the plate and be fair to you but at the same time let you know THIS IS ABOUT A GIRL WHO HAS SPECIAL NEEDS. I used live the city she lives years ago. She will have to learn new ways and it will hard for her to be different from her peers. I am not talking thru my hat. Unless you are born disabled and grow up that way,you got no idea.Can you cope with impaired vision. Most would crack. You are forced to in a fully sighted world. Like it or not, you will.

[deedsy57]

Instead of giving Jolsonbear the attention he is craving, simply click the link below his name "report abuse" and complain about his constant flooding of the comment section, and be done with it.

[nothappyatall]

Ok, so the pool pump is real strong, why wasn't a screen over the intake?

[nothappyatall]

I don't know WHAT you were so pissed off about poisonbear, I went back and read every post, I saw nothing as you claim, so be gone because the posts you claimed if they even existed, were gone hours ago.