A South Carolina resort is now facing a lawsuit after a 4-year-old died from drowning.
The 2021 vacation at Crown Reef Beach Resort and Waterpark in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, turned into a nightmare for Destiny Morgan when her youngest child, 4-year-old Demi Williams, tragically drowned in one of the resort's pools.
The area lacked lifeguards and had poor lighting, as stated in a recent lawsuit. According to officials, Demi succumbed to asphyxiation caused by drowning.
South Carolina Resort Faces Lawsuit
Morgan had allowed Demi to enjoy the lazy river ride at the resort. However, her concern escalated when Demi's sister exited the ride, and Demi was nowhere to be seen.
Frantically searching, Morgan witnessed another guest pulling Demi out of the pool, unresponsive. After Demi was pulled from the water, a nurse attempted to assist her and detected a faint pulse.
Resort guests scrambled to locate a defibrillator to revive Demi, but none were available, highlighting potential risks in emergency response protocols. Multiple guests, including a nurse, immediately began performing chest compressions on Demi, detecting a faint pulse.
Morgan and the nurse urgently called for an AED (automated external defibrillator) to revive Demi, but none were accessible, and neither resort staff nor lifeguards were available to assist. Despite the potential risk of electrocution associated with using AEDs on drowning victims, state law does not mandate their presence in swimming areas, leaving rescuers without this critical lifesaving device.
In response to the incident, Morgan is advocating for improved safety measures at the resort. The lawsuit, citing "unsafe, dangerous, or defective" conditions, blames Crown Reef for negligence due to the absence of lifeguards and insufficient staff to ensure guest safety.
Describing Demi as a joyful child who loved to spread happiness, Morgan expressed determination to prevent similar tragedies, stating, "Something has to be done...to make sure that this never happens again."
Safety Concerns Raised After 4-Year-Old Drowns
The tragic incident involving Demi marks at least the third drowning at Crown Reef Beach Resort and Waterpark between 2018 and 2021, including a 5-year-old boy who succumbed shortly after Demi, according to reports.
The ensuing lawsuit, seeking financial compensation, alleges that the resort's failure to have lifeguards on duty and inadequate staffing contributed to "unsafe, dangerous, or defective" conditions. It squarely places responsibility for Demi's death on Crown Reef's "negligent, reckless, willful" conduct.
The circumstances surrounding Demi's transition from the lazy river to the pool remain unclear to Morgan and her other children. Speculating that Demi may have slipped and fallen, Morgan expressed frustration, stating, "There wasn't anything that would indicate that they gave a damn about a human life."
Demi was swiftly transported to the hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival.
State regulations do not compel lifeguards at all pools or the lazy river at the resort, as per the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. Only waterslides necessitate lifeguards, while other water areas must display signs indicating the absence of lifeguards.
Recent inspections confirm that the resort complied with signage requirements regarding lifeguard presence, including during previous inspections in 2021 and 2018, the latter involving the tragic drowning of 7-year-old Malazya Fayall in one of the pools.
