Last Moments Of Seven-Year-Old Boy Before Water Park Drowning As Mum And Lifeguards Face Charges

A seven-year-old boy seen in this heartbreaking footage enjoying himself at a water park drowned moments later with his mother, two lifeguards and the park owner now facing charges over his death.

Bryan Henrique de Souza Barros died at Olinda Via Park in the city of Olinda, Pernambuco state, in the metropolitan area of Recife, Brazil, on 25th July.

The video shows Bryan sliding down a children's slide into the pool before standing up in the water.

According to reports, CCTV footage examined by investigators showed Bryan entering the pool at around 3.30pm before moving from the shallow section towards deeper water.

According to the prosecution, the boy began drowning just three seconds after reaching the deeper section.

Bryan did not know how to swim and was apparently afraid of swimming pools, and investigators said he was not wearing a flotation device.

His mother, Emylly Vitoria de Souza Pereira, had allegedly allowed him to remain in the children's pool before leaving him alone while she went to the bathroom.

The prosecution said Emylly had been at the park with friends and had consumed alcohol before leaving Bryan unattended for around six minutes.

She allegedly did not ask another adult to watch him or tell him to leave the water.

The two lifeguards on duty, Chaiane Kelli Gomes da Silva and Clarice Daniely Alves da Silva, were sitting on a bench about 11.3 metres (37 feet) from the point where Bryan began drowning, according to prosecutors.

The prosecution said their view of the area was unobstructed, yet they failed to notice the boy moving into deeper water or beginning to drown.

At around 3.30pm, Chaiane reportedly approached the pool edge to remove another child from the water.

She was only a few metres from Bryan, who was already drowning, but allegedly left without assisting him.

Bryan became completely submerged at about 3.32pm and, according to the prosecution, remained unconscious at the bottom of the pool for more than five minutes.

Other children and swimmers eventually spotted him and pulled him from the water.

The prosecution alleged the lifeguards only began cardiopulmonary resuscitation after Bryan had been brought to the edge of the pool, before he was taken in a private vehicle to an emergency unit in Olinda, where his death was confirmed.

Police said their investigation found that Bryan had remained underwater for around one minute and 20 seconds before being rescued, while prosecutors said he remained unconscious underwater for more than five minutes after becoming fully submerged.

The investigation also found that another near-drowning had reportedly occurred at the same spot earlier that day.

Park owner and administrator Tony Hsu Chuncki was accused of homicide under the legal concept of accepting the risk of death.

Prosecutors alleged the park was operating without the required municipal permit, fire service licence and approved fire safety plan.

They also alleged there was no physical barrier separating the children's pool from the deeper area where riders from a large water slide landed.

The prosecution said the pool's depth ranged from around 55 centimetres (21.6 inches) to 75 centimetres (29.5 inches) in the shallow section and from 1.45 metres (4.75 feet) to 1.54 metres (5.05 feet) in the deeper section, with an abrupt change of around 90 centimetres (35.4 inches).

Prosecutors further alleged there was inadequate depth marking and that the park had remained open despite the earlier near-drowning.

The four accused were formally charged after Pernambuco police completed their investigation, with Emylly facing a charge of abandonment of a vulnerable person resulting in death, Chaiane and Clarice facing negligent homicide charges, and Tony facing aggravated homicide charges.

The charges remain allegations and the accused have the right to defend themselves in court.

Following Bryan's death, Olinda Via Park temporarily closed and said it had provided first aid at the scene before the child was rushed to an emergency unit.

In a statement, the park said: "It is with immense regret and profound sadness that we lament the tragic accident involving a seven-year-old child."

The park added: "Immediately after the incident, first aid was provided at the scene, and the child was urgently taken to the emergency unit, where, unfortunately, he died."

It also said it was "collaborating fully with the competent authorities" to clarify what happened and that it was providing support to Bryan's family.

(Marija Stojkoska/Newsflash)