May 20, 2009
Deadly Summer Camp Dangers
Lack Of Oversight Cited; Parents Urged To Do Thorough Checking Themselves
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Yoni Gottesman drowned during his first day at summer camp in 2005. (CBS)
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Play CBS Video Video Warning About Summer Camps Susan Koeppen reports of one couple who lost their son to accidental death at a summer camp and shares advice with Harry Smith for parents to do homework on summer camps before sending their kids.
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News Tools Contact Susan Early Show consumer correspondent Susan Koeppen is ready to help you. Just e-mail her!
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Section Susan Koeppen The Early Show's consumer correspondent shares her expertise.
On The Early Show Wednesday, consumer correspondent Susan Koeppen told the story of two parents whose four-year-old son was killed in his very first day at what was billed as a top-shelf camp in their hometown of Santa Barbara, Calif.
Anat Gottesman says her son "was a very happy, cheerful boy. ... He was full of life."
In the summer of 2005, Yoni Gottesman's parents took him to summer camp. It was supposed to be a fun and exciting experience.
"I remember when I left him in the morning," Anat recalled, "he barely said goodbye. He said, 'Mommy, I'm so happy. Bye-bye. See you later." '
But that was the last time Anat would see her son alive.
Her husband, Oded Gottesman, says, "All of a sudden I get a phone call, asking me if I'm Yoni's father. And I said, 'Yes.' She asked me to come to the club, because he had some accident."
Yoni had drowned.
It was captured on a surveillance video that shows a camp counselor dunking Yoni over and over again in the water, a dozen times. Next, Yoni struggles to swim to the edge of the pool, as the counselor turns his back to play with other children. Finally, Yoni is floating face-down in the pool. Even with two lifeguards on duty and counselors in the water, it took eight minutes before anyone noticed.
Yoni died an hour later at a hospital.
"We just couldn't understand how, you know, that could have happened," Oded says. "Everything we did was everything normal parents would do."
The Gottesmans would later learn the Cathedral Oaks Athletic Club had been operating its kids' camp without a license.
"We just couldn't believe it," Oded says. "At the time, we were thinking we were sending him to the best place. They advertise themselves as the best place, safest place. They held themselves as a very professional and exclusive club."
But, Koeppen points out, there are no federal regulations when it comes to camps. Rules vary greatly from state-to-state. Six states don't require camps to be licensed at all. Twenty-eight states don't require criminal background checks of camp employees. And, according to the American Camp Association, only 25 percent of camps in the United States are accredited, meaning they meet the 300 health and safety standards set by the association.
"I think," says Dr. Edward Walton, a pediatrician, "the word 'camp' is sometimes used too lightly."
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Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."
For the rest of us in the normal world, kids can and should go to camps and should have safe time there. Simple regulations and protective laws will do. This tragic case was totally preventable. Neglect and more neglect is what led to the death of an innocent kid and many more may be harmed if we do stop the neglect (with laws and regulations). If you take kids under your custody, your pool should be safe, your staff should be highly trained in kids safety, emergency provisions should be readily available by law and your compliance would be measured by required and detailed accreditation. Nothing of that was available in the Santa Barbara club. This should be changed.
The lifeguards were not watching the children, Yoni was struggling and floating for 8:30 minutes only 6 feet in front of the lifeguard Michael Bowen who did not save him!
The lifeguard Michael Bowen who gave Yoni CPR was not certified for Child CPR and did not give Yoni effective CPR, Yoni had no chance with this guy Michael Bowen!
The aquatic director was not even trained for child CPR...
Nobody at Cathedral Oaks Athletic Club was disciplined after Yoni's death, and everyone got bonuses in 2005...
The camp counselors and the lifeguards were untrained by management and owners who put profit above our children's safety!
http://www.YoniGottesman.com
Second if this camp has operated for 13 years and this is the first time we are hearing of an accident like this, how many kids attended this camp over the 13 year span and the odds are probably better of dying at home than at this camp. Yes maybe the counselor was excessive in dunking this kid and should not be a counselor again. But to prosecute the camp and the counselor who was spending time with kids because the parents did not tell them he was not a good swimmer or did not have time to spend with them and sent a four year old to camp is not the camps fault. I have three children every camp I have sent my children to requires the parents to fill out a form which asks specifically the childs swimming ability what did the parents say regarding this kids ability.
Our children must be protected by authorities!
Yoni's life was taken by people who put profit above safety! They saved money by not having legal State licensing, no certified and up to date training of their employees, no Child-CPR training that could have saved Yoni's life!
The Cathedral Oaks Athletic Club's camp operated 13 years without license! They advertised in all newspapers, family magazines, and brochures. They lured parents to send their children to their deadly camp and endangered children for 13 years!
Criminal action should be taken agains the owners imediatelly!
The club owner Richard Berti made "contribution" to the local Sheriff!
The Santa Barbara District Attorney Tom Sneddon who spent millions of $$$ on the Michael Jackson child abuse fiasco screwed up Yoni's case and failed to bring the camp owners & managers to justice! Our children must be protected by the Law!