I am slightly ashamed to admit this, but I was not one of those moms who signed their baby up for swimming lessons at a young age. Although extremely important and valuable, the lessons were always a tad out of budget, so it wasn’t until he got to summer camp that he learned how to swim. I was really hesitant at first, considering I wouldn’t be there, but counselors ensured me that not only did staff have an eye on the kids at all times but also that the American Red Cross was directly responsible for lessons.
My son had an amazing summer and ended the three months a far better swimmer than when he started, but trusting a professional with your child is a leap of faith that can be hard to make. When you hear stories like Dylan Harrison’s, a young girl who died during a scuba diving lesson, you can truly understand why.
Harrison drowned in August 2025 while at The Scuba Ranch, a training lake in Terrell, Texas, according to Fox 4. The Independent recently reported that her instructor, William Armstrong, was arrested February 6, 2026. He was reportedly teaching a class of eight students when the 12-year-old wandered away and went missing. Armstrong has been charged with injury to a child but was released after posting a $150,000 bond.
During his arrest, an affidavit obtained by Fox 4 stated that Armstrong confessed he had “been awake straight for approximately 29 hours, working three jobs” during the time Harrison drowned. Harrison’s dive watch, which was procured by investigators, indicated she was likely was not properly weighted at the time, which helps divers control their buoyancy and regulates the speed at which they dive and resurface.
Armstrong has been “permanently suspended” from the school and resigned from his position as assistant chief deputy at the Collin County Sheriff’s Office.
“The Scuba Ranch does not employ Dive Instructors, and does not provide, direct, or supervise instruction received. All Dive Instructors are independent of The Scuba Ranch and not affiliated with us other than as a customer,” a spokesperson told The Independent.
The Scuba Ranch reportedly has been “fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation and remains committed to supporting all efforts to understand what happened,” the spokesperson noted. “We pray this family receives the answers, justice, and closure they deserve, and that all of the dive community would be strengthened through what we learn from this tragedy,” the source added.
