Read more: Local, Drown, Myrtle, Beach, Colony, Resort
A four year old boy drowned in Myrtle Beach Friday, becoming the the third person to die as a result of drowning in Myrtle Beach in the last week. This past weekend, a 40 year old woman and a 16 year old teen each drowned in the ocean in Myrtle Beach.
Horry County Coroner Robert Edge says four year old Owaes Tabbakh was pronounced dead after an accidental drowning Friday evening. The four year old was from Greensboro, North Carolina.
The coroner's office tells NewsChannel 15 the four year old was swimming at a pool at the Beach Colony Resort on 53rd Avenue North in Myrtle Beach when a lifeguard noticed him floating in the pool, pulled him out and began performing CPR.
When emergency crews arrived, they tried to revive the Tabbakh in the ambulance on the way to the hospital but were unable to.
Statistics show that during the summer months the numbers of drownings jump. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there's an average of about 3,500 fatal drownings in the U.S. every year. That averages out to about ten people drowning ever day in the U.S.
More than one-in-four fatal drowning victims are children 14 years old and younger. Drowning is the second leading cause of death for children 14 and younger.
The CDC says since 2005, of all children who have died in the U.S. between the ages of one and four years old, almost 30 percent died from drowning.
CDC Statistics:
- Always designate a responsible adult to watch children while swimming or playing in or around water.
- Don't swim alone
- Avoid drinking alcohol before or during any water-related activities.
For more information about drowning prevention tips, visit the website below.
