Friday 21 September 2007

Where were the parents???

This is the tragic story of a young ten year old boy who drowned in a lake earlier this summer.

He and his 8 year old sister went to the lake, the young girl got into difficulties in the lake and the boy tried to save her. Two passer's by then got in and pulled out the girl unfortunately the little boy slipped under and disappeared from view.

Two PCSO's attended the scene, but for whatever reason they did not assist in rescuing the young boy.

I've just watched the mother on the news having a go at the police and asking 'why didn't the PCSOs jump in and save her boy?'

I've got some questions for the mother, where were you whilst this was happening?? Why did you allow your 8 and 10 year old children to go to a lake unsupervised??

The police have defended the PCSOs stating they were not trained for live saving. Well neither are regular PC's (except for Devon and Cornwall).

The fact they were PCSO's is irrelevant. They as individuals had to make a split second life or death decision. They were there they had the information, they know their own physical capabilities they knew the condition of the water and all the other impact factors.

Personally I probably would have jumped into a lake in the month of may to save a live. But I'm a fit male twenty something. If it was the north sea in December I'd have to think twice.

The point is this is another example of the public blaming the police solely responsible for something, when maybe they are partially responsible.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Charlie,

I agree with you to some extent that the parents should have been supervising their children. But any attempt to state that is going to be overshadowed by the (non)actions of the 2 PCSOs who just stood there and let the kids drown!
I mean, what kind of a prat stands there and does nothing because they weren't trained in life-saving?

Charlie Lima said...

Like I said, if I was there I would have dived in and I never been trained in water rescue.

PCFrankyFact said...

A fit male 20 something.
Hmmm.
Sounds like an advert in a dating service.
Likes to dress up and take lake dips in May.

Annette said...

I agree with you, where were the parents?
You can't really judge the two pcso's because we don't know their side of the story.

Anonymous said...

I agree, only an idiot knows exactly what he would do in a situation of which he has only heard one side! Perhaps the PCSO's could have done something else, but I certainly won't critise without knowing alot more about the circumstances. They may have behaved correctly.

Charlie Lima said...

So any one for skinny dipping then?

TotallyUn-Pc said...

I't would be rude of me to decline... last one in the buff is a loser!

Busy said...

At last! I thought I was the only one thinking this.
Personally, I swim like a wounded chimp so I'd only jump in as a last resort. So much better that parents actually did a spot of parenting before something like this happened.

Big Pleb said...

Of course the chav parents blame the police because they have no parenting skills otherwise their son might be alive today. I dont know the whole story about what happened and would like to get it from the horses mouth so to speak before I issue any remarks for or against the actions of the two PCSOs. Its a hard call without the facts and actually being there on the day in question.

BUT if the boy was on the surface or had only just gone down I would have gone in, if he was missing for a while and the exact point not known would that affect my decision....would it affect yours??

PC Plastic Fuzz said...

I think the real issue is that the PCSO, (and I say PCSO, not PCSOs plural, as one was at the roadside waiting to guide in emergency services) chose not to look like they were trying. The papers reported that they stood by whilst he drowned.
The Coroners report said he had probably been under for around 15 minutes and was not visible, it was not a pond it was a flooded quarry. I think with this information, its unfair to ‘name and shame’ the PCSOs as the Daily Mail did. Knocking on their doors and speaking with their neighbours, posting pictures of them on the front pages.
I like to think I would jump in and ‘try’, and there have been news reports where PCSOs have done just that, but who knows, they certainly don’t deserve the attention they’re getting.