Lack of non-fatal drowning reporting risks children’s lives: inquest

A terrifying incident in a Nightcliff pool raised during the Baby Croker inquest has highlighted the risk of non-fatal drownings continuing to go unreported.

A terrifying close call revealed during the inquest into the drowning death of a Katherine girl has exposed a major blind spot in the Territory’s approach to water safety, with non-fatal drownings routinely going unreported to the police or safety watchdog.

Floss Roberts, head of Royal Life Saving NT, spoke as an expert witness in the inquest and shared her personal experience with this publication.

She said it happened in less than 30 seconds.

Ms Roberts had been playing in the pool with her son before they jumped out to enjoy a slice of cake in their Nightcliff backyard.

Closing the fridge door, Ms Roberts realised he was not at her feet – the only trace of the three-year-old were some ripples in the pool water.

“My husband ran and pulled him out, he had blue all around his lips and his eyes were closed,” she said, the memory of the incident 27 years ago still fresh in her mind.

“A waterfall of water came out of his mouth, then he gave a little cough, opened his eyes, and asked for some chocolate cake.”

Ms Roberts’ son was one of the lucky ones.

Floss Roberts, head of Royal Life Saving NT, shared her personal near-miss story during her expert evidence in the inquest of Baby Croker’s drowning. Picture: Supplied.

The final day of the inquest into Baby Croker’s drowning in April last year heard closing submissions at Darwin coroners court on Thursday.

Among several recommendations made by counsel assisting the corner Giles O’Brien-Hartcher was a call for data around near-drownings to be reported to the NT Swimming Pool Safety Authority.

It is estimated that for every drowning death there are eight non-fatal drownings in children aged 0-4 years, and even more that do not go to hospital.

Currently in the Territory there is no follow-up unless a drowning death occurs, meaning no-one investigates how the child ended up in the water or whether the pool met safety requirements.

Currently there is no investigation into non-fatal drownings in the NT, leaving authorities without crucial information.

Mr O’Brien-Hartcher told the court this meant crucial chances to reduce risk were being missed.

“Non-fatal drownings can also be tragic for families and communities because injuries may include permanent brain damage,” he told the inquest on Tuesday.

“Non-fatal drownings can also help us understand whether safety measures are sufficient and adequate, however they can only be informative if data is collected and those incidents are reported.”

The Swimming Pool Safety Authority, Mark Meldrum, was called as a witness on Wednesday, and said it would be “helpful” for his office to learn from non-fatal drownings before tragedies occurred.

“To understand the cause would go a long way to working out whether anything could be done to fix that (pool) barrier, or barriers generally,” he said.

Swimming Pool Safety Auhtority Mark Meldrum said data of non-fatal drownings would help his office identify risks. Photograph: Che Chorley

In closing submissions, Mr O’Brien-Hartcher also recommended a strengthening of the NT’s Swimming Pool Safety laws, such as bringing them in line with the Australian Standard.

It was also recommended the Swimming Pool Safety Authority do more to ensure compliance with laws – to date the watchdog has not prosecuted any Territorians for pool safety breaches.

Two-year-old Baby Croker was at a social barbecue for her mother’s Eastside Football Club when she drowned.

NT coroner Elisabeth Armitage will hand down her findings from the three-day inquest in the coming months.