Father Sues City and School After Son Drowns During School-Sponsored Pool Party

On September 21st, 2012, the Pepin Academy hosted a back-to-school swimming party at the city-owned and operated recreation center and pool. The event was apparently attended by close to 150 students, parents and teachers and was filled with poolside entertainment, dancing, food as well as swimming for the kids. When Skelford Conrad Shillingford and his wife arrived to drop off their 15-year-old son Kadeem Jessie Shillingford, they were assured that despite Jessie's mild case of autism and the fact that he wasn't the best of swimmers there were sufficient lifeguards, Pepin employees, and chaperones on hand to keep all of the children safe.

Unfortunately a little later that evening, one of the kids informed a lifeguard that there was a boy at the bottom of the pool. Lifeguards attempted to resuscitate Jessie by delivering CPR until emergency personnel arrived on scene at which point he was rushed to Florida Hospital Tampa where he spent three days on life support before he died. While the Medical Examiner's Office has ruled Jessie's death an accidental drowning, and police say they were able to find no evidence of criminal neglect or foul play, the Shillingfords have officially filed a lawsuit against the city and the Pepin Academy for their failure to provide reasonable safety precautions to protect their son.

Being involved in a swimming or drowning accident can have a long-lasting effect on a person's quality of life. Drowning accidents can not only result in death, but in many cases such accidents are capable of causing serious injuries which will require extensive treatment and a lifetime of nursing and medical care. Being underwater without oxygen to the brain for a period of time will result in permanent brain damage. A slip and fall accident into the pool can cause broken bones, or more serious permanent damage such as spinal cord injuries. If you have been seriously injured in a swimming pool accident due to no fault of your own you may be asking yourself, "Where can I find a Tampa personal injury attorney?"

Smith & Stallworth, Attorneys at Law specialize in personal injury accident cases. We have more than two decades experience providing aggressive representation for accident victims and their families. We know how important it is to determine liability in these types of accident cases and we work diligently to see that the all negligent parties are held responsible.

If you have lost a loved one in a swimming pool accident and you wish to file a wrongful death suit, we may be able to help. If you are the victim of a swimming pool or drowning accident contact a skilled Tampa personal injury lawyer at our firm today.