As moms we do everything we can to keep our children safe. In the summertime, water safety is essential. Teaching our kids to swim and putting them in a life jacket for activities like boating are both extremely important. Texas mom Ashley McCombs recently experienced a scary situation with her 6-year-old son, Oaks, and she wants to warn other parents of a hidden life jacket danger.
McCombs told CBS News Texas that she and her boys went to Lake Weatherford for some summertime fun. She put them in their swimsuits and life jackets, and everything seemed fine. But suddenly, she realized she couldn’t find Oaks.
“All of a sudden, (he) just went missing. We could not find him,” McCombs said, per the news outlet. “And at that point, he had been pulled under the water. Because his life jacket had filled with water … just very heavy, very heavy. And it’s just like, pouring water out of it.”
They rushed Oaks to the hospital, and thankfully, he’s OK. Doctors diagnosed him with nonlethal drowning. Although he’s traumatized, the situation could have been so much worse.
“Actually, this is the second life jacket with that same brand that did that,” McCombs admitted. “But I didn’t even think twice about it. You know, I thought, ‘oh, maybe it’s just faulty.'”
She shared her receipt with CBS News Texas, showing she’d purchased the life jacket for Oaks a few weeks before the scary incident at the lake.
“I’m incredibly upset,” she said, “because what if I’ve lost my child or somebody else, you know, loses their child?”
McCombs warned other parents to stay vigilant when it comes to their kids and water.
“I would say watch your children. Don’t trust the life jacket. Don’t trust friends around you. But keep your eyes on your children at all times,” she shared.
Water Safety USA emphasizes the importance of choosing the correct life jacket for your child.
“Not all U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets perform the same way. Some will rotate a person so they are face up if they become unconscious and some will not, so check the label to be sure it is appropriate for your planned activities and the water conditions you expect to encounter; ensure it fits properly; and test its performance so you are comfortable with how it fits and functions,” Water Safety USA explains. “Infants and younger children should wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket with both a collar for head support and a strap between the legs.”
The organization also points out another important fact about the safety devices. “Today’s life jackets come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors and materials. U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets are sized by weight,” it reminds parents. “Make sure that everyone is wearing one that is properly-sized. Do not buy a life jacket for your child to ‘grow into.'”
