Drownings unnatural cause of tragedies

A long time ago, the Yuma Sun had a bureau office upriver in Parker.

When the people I was working with learned I was from Parker, the editor told me there were so many drowning stories from Parker that the newspaper considered them “deaths by natural causes.”

He was joking, of course.

This, however, is no joke. More and more I'm reminded of that remark as we see an increasing number of drownings here and across the state. Sadly, each one, especially swimming pool incidents involving toddlers, could have been avoided.

For example, the Phoenix news reported a toddler drowning over the weekend at a house at which adults were having a party and “lost track” of the toddler.

Sorry, but that excuse just doesn't cut it. You can't lose track of someone around water, because water is dangerous, whether it's in a bucket, a bathtub, a pool or the river. Water will kill you! Wake up!