Atlanta Teenager Drowns During Memorial Day Weekend Pool Party
A teenager reportedly drowned at a pool party in Atlanta on Memorial Day weekend. The unnamed victim is understood to have been among hundreds of partygoers who attended a ticketed event at the 500 Apartments on Northside Circle, northeast of Midtown Atlanta.
Cellphone footage obtained by local ABC-affiliate WSB-TV shows a large number of people by the pool area in the complex. The event was advertised online as a pool party, which included a free BBQ and an open bar.
The huge crowd might have been a contributing factor to the teenager's death, as nobody noticed the 19-year-old's disappearance until it was too late. The TV station reported that the victim was underwater for approximately 20 minutes before fellow partygoers realized what had happened.
"Somebody should have been smart enough to know and see, that many people, him drowning and at least go and try to save his life," one of the partygoers told the broadcaster.
Another partygoer who spoke to WSB-TV but declined to be identified said: "It wasn't that many people in the pool, it was just so much going on people didn't notice. It's unfortunate. You're trying to have a good time on the weekend and it's just like it wasn't anybody's fault or anybody pushed him there or anything. It's just unfortunate that it happened to him."
Police were called to the premises at approximately 7:50 p.m. in response to a complaint about the size of the party and were then told about a man in the water. Officers pulled the body out of the pool and administered CPR before the teenager was rushed to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Police told FOX 5 they believe the victim died as a result of drowning but an autopsy will be performed to establish the official cause of death. Officers added the group responsible for causing the disturbance had left the premises before the party was cut short and no arrests were made.
In a statement to residents, The 500 at Northside apartment complex said it was fully cooperating with the investigators.
"You may have heard about a tragic event at the pool this weekend. Someone held an unauthorized event at the pool. The news media is reporting that, tragically, a young person drowned. Our hearts go out to his friends and family. We would like to take a few moments to reinforce some critical points.
"First, be aware that drowning does not look like you might expect. The Red Cross says that people often slip under the water or even appear to be swimming but can be in distress. It is important for everyone to keep an eye out for others in the water especially when no lifeguard is on duty.
"We are cooperating fully with law enforcement in their search for who is responsible. Also—in addition to the legal aspects, we must also reinforce that this unauthorized event broke a number of pool rules—including those which forbid alcohol use. Also, the pool is for the use of residents only. Any residents responsible for planning or promoting this event have violated the terms of their lease and will have their lease terminated."
