STAMFORD — Police charged a lifeguard for neglecting his responsibilities after a child nearly drowned in a swimming pool last month.
On August 3, Stamford Police, EMS and Fire were sent to the Chelsea Piers complex on reports of an unconscious child. Upon arrival, they learned a five-year-old boy had been swimming in one of the facility’s several pools when he went underwater and did not resurface.
Investigators say surveillance video of the incident showed the child was underwater for about four minutes before the lifeguard took notice. When he eventually saw the victim, he went into the pool and pulled the child out of the water before administering life-saving measures.
The child was first transported to Stamford Hospital, before being airlifted to Yale-New Haven Hospital for more extensive treatment. He has since been discharged.
While the child has shown excellent signs of recovery from home, it is unknown whether he will ultimately suffer from any long-term damage.
The lifeguard, Zachary Stein, 23, of New Canaan turned himself in to the Stamford Police Department on Wednesday, after the Stamford Police Department and State’s Attorney’s office issued a warrant for his arrest. He faces charges of 1st degree Reckless Endangerment and Risk of Injury to a Minor.
Stein was released later in the day on his own recognizance. He is expected to appear before a Connecticut Superior Court judge in Stamford on September 19.
