As family members and the Lafayette Elementary School community struggled to cope with the drowning Tuesday of first-grader Tyji Chester, neighbors expressed strong concerns about the safety of the adjacent city-owned pool.
The 7-year-old, who was autistic and required supervision at all times, wandered from a kindergarten graduation ceremony at about noon and apparently was helped over the 10-foot fence by other children. His body was discovered shortly after 12:30 p.m., and a female teacher hopped over the fence and attempted with a just-arriving policeman to provide CPR. The boy was pronounced dead at 1:33 p.m. at St. Agnes Hospital.
At Calverton Middle School?s field day Wednesday, a school employee sat in a chair 20 yards outside the Central Rosemont pool fence to make sure the tragedy wasn?t repeated.
“Why don?t schools have cameras outside?” asked Sheila Carter, who works next door at The Empowerment Academy but previously was employed at Calverton Middle, housed in the same building as Lafayette Elementary. “They used to when I worked there and they were monitored, but not any more. Then you could see when a child left school property and find out what happened.”
Carter said many people have complained that the pool ? not scheduled to open until June 24 ? is a popular spot for “pool-hopping” by local children, which local middle schoolers, teenagers and parents confirmed. The iron fence surrounding the water is supported by cross bars and can be easily mounted.
“Come back here at night and you?ll see for yourself,” said Maggie Dukes, as she dropped off her grandchild at the Police Athletic League building, also on the same grounds as the schools and pool. “Every time I drive through here at night, big kids and little kids are in the pool. I?ve called the police about it, but nothing changes.”
“Of course I?m concerned about that pool and I don?t know why they have to fill them up three weeks before they open while the kids are still in school,” said Shakyra Foster, walking past the Parks and Recreation-operated pool with cousin Tierra Foster and her child. “It?s too tempting for them.”
After initially investigating the death as a potential homicide, Baltimore City police ruled the drowning “accidental and untimely” and have turned the inquiry over city school police.
