Family of drowned Wenatchee student suing school
SEATTLE (AP) - The family of a Wenatchee High School freshman who drowned in a swim class is suing the school district, claiming negligence.
The parents of Antonio Reyes say he couldn't swim. Investigators found he missed the assessment scheduled in the first week of class.
The 14-year-old was last seen treading water with the class on Nov. 17. His body was found on the bottom of the pool 40 minutes later by students arriving for the next class.
The family planned to file the lawsuit Friday in Chelan County Superior Court in Wenatchee after the district rejected a $15 million claim. The suit alleges that the school failed to provide a dedicated lifeguard or appropriate training for employees and that it failed to prevent non-swimmers from entering the deep end.
District Superintendent Brian Flones said he was not able to comment on the litigation. The school district said in February it would make changes to improve safety at the high school swimming pool, including a lifeguard and tests to identify non-swimmers.
"Juan and Filomena Reyes lost their son and Antonio's brothers lost their brother in this horrible incident," their attorney, Sim Osborn, said in a statement. "Those responsible for Antonio's death should be held accountable."
Since the death, the district in April fired physical education teacher Ed Knaggs. The termination letter, obtained by The Wenatchee World through a public records request, said Knaggs did not properly assess the student's swimming abilities and failed to recognized signs of swimmer distress.
Students with limited swimming ability, including Reyes, were not identified and instructed to stay in the shallow end of the pool, the letter said.
The police report on the death, also obtained by the newspaper, said Reyes missed the assessment while sitting on the bleachers in the pool area during the first class.
"Coach Knaggs seemed to be unaware that Antonio Reyes did not know how to swim," Sgt. John Kruse wrote.
Police determined that some students remember seeing Reyes during the first swim activity, which involved treading water as a group. The next activity was joining hands and creating a current in the water, and the third activity was water polo. No one remembered him being there for the latter activity.
None of the students remember Reyes being in obvious distress, The Wenatchee World reported.
Knaggs told police he scanned the pool before going into the locker room. The teacher whose students found the body said she did not see him immediately because he was on his side on one of the black racing lines at the bottom of the deep end.
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Information from: The Wenatchee World, www.wenatcheeworld.com
The parents of Antonio Reyes say he couldn't swim. Investigators found he missed the assessment scheduled in the first week of class.
The 14-year-old was last seen treading water with the class on Nov. 17. His body was found on the bottom of the pool 40 minutes later by students arriving for the next class.
The family planned to file the lawsuit Friday in Chelan County Superior Court in Wenatchee after the district rejected a $15 million claim. The suit alleges that the school failed to provide a dedicated lifeguard or appropriate training for employees and that it failed to prevent non-swimmers from entering the deep end.
District Superintendent Brian Flones said he was not able to comment on the litigation. The school district said in February it would make changes to improve safety at the high school swimming pool, including a lifeguard and tests to identify non-swimmers.
"Juan and Filomena Reyes lost their son and Antonio's brothers lost their brother in this horrible incident," their attorney, Sim Osborn, said in a statement. "Those responsible for Antonio's death should be held accountable."
Since the death, the district in April fired physical education teacher Ed Knaggs. The termination letter, obtained by The Wenatchee World through a public records request, said Knaggs did not properly assess the student's swimming abilities and failed to recognized signs of swimmer distress.
Students with limited swimming ability, including Reyes, were not identified and instructed to stay in the shallow end of the pool, the letter said.
The police report on the death, also obtained by the newspaper, said Reyes missed the assessment while sitting on the bleachers in the pool area during the first class.
"Coach Knaggs seemed to be unaware that Antonio Reyes did not know how to swim," Sgt. John Kruse wrote.
Police determined that some students remember seeing Reyes during the first swim activity, which involved treading water as a group. The next activity was joining hands and creating a current in the water, and the third activity was water polo. No one remembered him being there for the latter activity.
None of the students remember Reyes being in obvious distress, The Wenatchee World reported.
Knaggs told police he scanned the pool before going into the locker room. The teacher whose students found the body said she did not see him immediately because he was on his side on one of the black racing lines at the bottom of the deep end.
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Information from: The Wenatchee World, www.wenatcheeworld.com
