PCSOs leave boy to drown

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Bakedgoods

Bakedgoods

Capodecina
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Police chiefs have defended two community support officers (PCSOs) who stood by as a 10-year-old boy drowned in a pond earlier this year.
Jordon Lyon jumped into the pond in Wigan, Greater Manchester, after his eight-year-old step-sister Bethany got into difficulties on 3 May.

Two fishermen jumped in and saved Bethany but Jordon became submerged.

The inquest into his death heard the PCSOs did not rescue him as they were not trained to deal with the incident.

Jordon was playing at the edge of the pond known locally as John Pit, off Wigan Lower Road, in Standish Lower Ground, with his two brothers, step-brother and step-sister on 3 May.

He was eventually pulled from the water but despite attempts to resuscitate him was later pronounced dead in hospital.

His mother, Tracy Lyon, and stepfather Anthony Ganderton, of Bluebell Avenue, Wigan, wanted to know why the PCSOs did not try to rescue Jordon and why they did not give evidence at the inquest held by deputy West Manchester coroner Alan Walsh.

If I had been walking along a canal and seen a child drowning I would have jumped in

Anthony Ganderton, stepfather

Mr Ganderton told the inquest: "I don't know why they didn't go in. I can't understand it.

"If I had been walking along a canal and seen a child drowning I would have jumped in.

"You don't have to be trained to jump in after a drowning child."

In a statement after the hearing, Det Chf Insp Phil Owen, of Wigan CID, who led the investigation into Jordon's death, said: "PCSOs are not trained to deal with major incidents such as this.

"Both ourselves and the fire brigade regularly warn the public of the dangers of going into unknown stretches of water so it would have been inappropriate for PCSOs, who are not trained in water rescue, to enter the pond.

"This was a tragic incident where a young boy lost his life and we would once again want to pass on our heartfelt condolences to Jordon's family."

A verdict of accidental death was recorded.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/7006412.stm
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I can see both sides to the argument but still... that's going to plague their thoughts for the rest of their lives.
 
Awful thing to happen but seriously what sort of training do they need to pull someone out of a pond who is drowning??. FFS i cant swim very well but if i saw someone drowning id be in there like a flash and try and help them.

Just another lame and silly excuse imo. As for plaguing their thoughts for the rest of their lives??....so it should...spineless wimps. I have no sympathy for the PCSO's tbh.
 
Idiots imo. I'm not trained to deal with an incident like that but you can bet my life I would have jump in and helped.

Random fact, I can see near enough see "John Pit" from my office window :p

Regarding the not being able to swim. Then surely this would have been offered up as an excuse straight away? :confused: I'm not buying that.
 
Is it a bad place TripleT?

The only reasoning I could come up with was that it's notoriously dangerous or something (loads of weeds or whatever).

A 10 year old boy had the courage to try save his little sister but two PCSOs don't have enough between them to help?
 
Adz said:
It doesn't mention if either of them could swim...

Plenty of adults can't.
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I am fairly confident I can't swim - but I can at least tread water and struggle.... enough to save someone.


I ****** hate PCSOs, waste of money, like many Labour lovechilds.
 
jdickerson said:
I am fairly confident I can't swim - but I can at least tread water and struggle.... enough to save someone.


I ****** hate PCSOs, waste of money, like many Labour lovechilds.
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If the kid was submerged then you're not likely going to be much use if you can't dive and swim under water. There's not enough information to make an informed judgement, but as they say, if you don't know what you're doing then you may become someone else to rescue (much like the boy that died).

Jokester
 
I think the failing here iif any is of the two people as people and not PCSO's

Just because you put a uniform on doesn't transform you into a superhero.
 
Wardie said:
Is it a bad place TripleT?

The only reasoning I could come up with was that it's notoriously dangerous or something (loads of weeds or whatever).
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Yer it's pretty over-grown and minging. Don't think they were actually swimming in it though? Just playing near it.

You do get people swimming in there though, and in the canals etc, rather silly. Mind I can't talk, I used to go swimming in an old quary in Appley Bridge down the road :o
 
Barbie said:
Where were the parents in all of this?
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Probably at home while their kids were out playing? The place in right in the middle of a residential area. Although I'm guessing they must have been told not to go near the area but when have kids ever done what you've told them, I know I didn't! They are quite young though.
 
Barbie said:
Where were the parents in all of this?
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Yeah, lets blame the parents for every single accident that happens when kids are playing out. Lets force parents to not let their kids out of their sight until they're 21 :rolleyes:

I can't understand why anybody wouldn't help a drowning kid - procedure or not.
 
Lets be honest here, the way the system works, if they jumped in the pond and the kid still died, those two officers would loose their job and probably end up with a criminal conviction for going in when not being trained and thus 'causing' the death.

I really dont think we are getting the whole story again though, just the media slice of the story.
 
If they couldn't swim they could have made the situation worse. You never know all the details.

Also sometimes people panic and freeze, literally unabel to move.
 
TripleT said:
Idiots imo. I'm not trained to deal with an incident like that but you can bet my life I would have jump in and helped.

Random fact, I can see near enough see "John Pit" from my office window :p

Regarding the not being able to swim. Then surely this would have been offered up as an excuse straight away? :confused: I'm not buying that.
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Was it up Higher Ince, looked like the pond in the park on the T.V?
 
Call me selfish if you like. I wouldnt have 'jumped' in. The first thing I was taught in First Aid training is to look after yourself otherwise two end up dead.

Fair enough try to throw a line out, some boyancy aid or something. But to just jump in is stupidity imo. On the other hand it does seem like the PCSO's did bugger all at the scene.

Afterthought - Think its also right when people jump in to rescue the first thing that happens is the person in trouble latches on the the rescuer and drowns them. This is from a vague memory when I did my lifesaving a long while back. Without real proper training life saving in water is a killer, and in uncontrolled water ways like canals, rivers, ponds.... your asking for real trouble.

Get the impression that the parents expected anyone to just jump in and die if neccessary to save the kid.
 
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