SPRINGFIELD, IL (KFVS) - As summer approaches, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is reminding parents and caregivers to constantly supervise children when they are near water.
According to DCFS, drowning is the leading cause of unintentional deaths for children ages one through four in the U.S. It claimed the lives of 21-Illinois children last year.
“It doesn't matter who you are or how many safety precautions were set in place beforehand. When a child is unsupervised, these tragedies happen in moments,” said Richard H. Calica, Director of DCFS. “Stepping away to answer the phone, turning your back for a second or becoming distracted by other kids is a gamble with a child’s life.”
DCFS officials say Inadequate supervision, which includes childhood drowning, was the third-leading cause of all child deaths indicated by DCFS last year.
