A man tragically drowned Sunday while fishing with at least one other person on lake Damon in Avon Park, about 75 miles south from Orlando.
Chase Winton Parrish, 29, was identified as the fisherman who died, according to reporting from The Miami Herald. Parrish was with one other man, whose identity has not been released, when they both fell into the water from their 13-foot boat. Parrish struggled in the water and the other man attempted to help him, but could not and swam back to the boat to call 911.
When emergency responders arrived, they found Parrish unresponsive in the water and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are investigating the incident, according to an online news release from the sheriff’s office.
Leesfield & Partners
Florida ranks 5th in the U.S. for unintentional drowning deaths among adults, with a rate of about 400 deaths annually, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control. When it coms to children, data from the Florida Department of Health shows that approximately enough children under the age of 5 years old drown in the state every year to fill several classrooms. Drowning is the leading cause of death for children under the age of 5 years old, according to the Safe Children Coalition, an organization dedicated to promoting education and awareness surrounding this pressing issue.
There were about 60 drowning deaths in the state for the first half of 2024, according to the latest available data. Of the 60 people who tragically lost their lives, about 46 of them were children.
Whether in tragic pool drownings or while out at sea, safety should never be underestimated. Parents should always be on guard, watching over their children and ensuring that they are wearing the appropriate flotation devices. Below are essential swimming safety tips to help you respond effectively in the event of an emergency.
- All pools should be equipped with child safety fences and locks.
- Adults should take a CPR course to know what to do in case of an emergency.
- Invest in swimming classes and water safety courses for children and adults. No one expects tragedy but knowing what to do in case of an emergency can save a life.
- Dress children in brightly colored swimsuits so that, if the unthinkable happens, they are easier to spot in the water.
- Make sure all external doors leading to a pool area or body of water like a lake or ocean are equipped with proper locks and alarms that way, even if a child manages to unlock the door, you will know that it has been opened.
Previous Pool Drowning Cases
Partner Justin B. Shapiro and Trial Attorney Eric Shane are representing a family whose 2-year-old drowned at a Central Florida pool.
Leesfield & Partners obtained a historic settlement in a case involving a swimming pool incident at a Hotel Resort Orlando in Osceola County. In that case, our client’s son was swimming when he was caught in the suction of the pool’s drain. The child could not be removed because the hotel failed to have an emergency shut off switch.
For nearly 10 minutes, our client’s child remained underwater. As a result, he was later diagnosed with brain damage that would require life-long medical care. This case, which was handled by Founder and Managing Partner, Ira Leesfield, is the largest result of its kind in Osceola County.
One family was forever changed when a father and husband lost his wife and two young daughters due to the U.S. Navy’s failure to maintain its pier in a safe condition.
“Ivan Grayson, tormented by the mind-numbing horror of the tragedy that wiped his family from the face of the earth, desperately needs to know why this happened,” U.S. District Judge James Lawrence King said of the case.
Grayson was awarded $2.95 million for the loss of his family.
Previously, the firm secured a seven-figure settlement for a family whose toddler drowned in South Florida. In that case, an inadequately installed child safety fence around the pool was found at the home.
Previously, the firm secured a $575,000 settlement in the drowning death of a man against a Florida boat tour company.
If your loved one was involved in a drowning incident in Florida, don’t wait. Call a Leesfield & Partners attorney today at 800-836-6400 to see if you may be eligible to make a claim.