Heartbroken parents are grieving the unexpected loss of their 6-year-old daughter after she went on a school field trip with her classmates and was found unresponsive in a pool. The school’s response to her tragic death has made it even harder for the family to process what happened. According to a statement shared with Channel 2 Action News, their daughter’s school, McGarity Elementary School in Hiram, Georgia, has not “personally reached out” to the family.
In the aftermath of the unimaginable tragedy, the girl’s parents still have a lot of unanswered questions. On October 8, 2025, the Polk County Police Department in Georgia shared some details about the “unfortunate incident.” According to police, life-saving measures were performed by bystanders and medical personnel after the child was found in the pool. She was transported to the hospital, but did not survive. Her death is still under investigation. On October 12, the girl was identified by her family as Victoria King.
Per Channel 2 Action News, Victoria and her classmates went to Carlton Farms for a school field trip. Around noon, a staff member noticed that Victoria was not with the group. She was later found in a pool near a house on the property.
In their statement, the family said they still don’t know how Victoria got into the pool, how long she was there, or “how school staff lost track of her.” To make it even more devastating, the school allegedly hasn’t reached out to the parents.
“What has made it even harder is that no one from McGarity Elementary has personally reached out — not a single call, message, or representative has contacted the parents to offer condolences or visit to mourn with them,” the family’s statement read. “While the school community received a general letter, the parents themselves were never contacted or comforted directly, and that silence has added to their pain.”
Understandably, the grieving parents want more information about what happened to Victoria. “They are heartbroken, confused, and still have no clear answers about what happened to their child,” the family said in their statement.
A day after the family shared this statement, Paulding County Schools also shared a statement, per 11 Alive. “We know this is an incredibly painful time for the parents and family,” the school district said. “Everyone at McGarity Elementary and throughout the school district is grieving deeply with them. Out of respect for the privacy of the parents, we will not share the details of our interactions with the family. Our focus remains on handling this situation with the utmost respect and sensitivity given this unimaginable loss.”
