X
theAsianparent Philippines Logo
theAsianparent Philippines Logo
EnglishFilipino
Product GuideSign in
  • Building a BakuNation
  • Becoming a Parent
    • Trying to Conceive
    • Pregnancy
    • Delivery
    • Losing a Baby
    • Project Sidekicks
  • Ages & Stages
    • Baby
    • Toddler Years
    • Preschool Age
    • Kids
    • Preteen & Teen
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • News
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Health & Wellness
    • Diseases & Injuries
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Preschool
    • K-12
    • Special Education Needs
  • Lifestyle Section
    • Celebrities
    • Contests & Promotions
    • Home
    • Travel and Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Fitness
    • Wellness
    • Money
  • Become a VIP
  • COVID-19
  • Press Room
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Awards
    • Parents' Choice Awards 2023

Five-year-old boy sucked into hot tub’s drain and almost downed

3 min read
Five-year-old boy sucked into hot tub’s drain and almost downed

“I thought I was imagining it but quickly realized this was a really, really bad situation and I screamed for help."

Although hot tubs can offer a great deal of fun and relaxation, they can also be dangerous—especially to children. The case of five-year-old Sam Leathes is a testament to that.

According to a Standard report, he and his family was staying on a villa in South Africa when the freak accident happened. In fact, his mother Lucinda and his seven-year-old brother Alfie were in the tub with him.

They weren’t doing anything crazy, just simply enjoying the tub, when Sam was caught by the drain.

When her son didn’t surface after a few seconds, Lucida realized something was wrong; she reached down the water and found her son had been trapped.

Five-year-old Boy Sucked Into Hot Tubs Drain and Almost Downed

Photo credit: Standard

“I could see his blue and white shorts under the bubbles and put my arm down to help him up. It was like pulling on a lump of concrete,” she said. “I thought I was imagining it but quickly realized this was a really, really bad situation and I screamed for help.”

It is believed that Sam passed over the drain as he went under the water, and his stomach had covered the grill. The suction and pressure of the water caused his flesh to cover and seal the drain, creating a vacuum.

Lucinda’s husband and uncle who had been upstairs rushed down to help Sam, but the three of them were unsuccessful in freeing him.

“At first I thought his foot was stuck and we couldn’t see clearly through the bubbles but when two grown men were pulling on him and he wouldn’t come up I realized it was the drain and they were pulling against all that pressure and all that water. I thought that was it—he would be dead.”

She then tried searching for the tub’s controls, and thankfully managed to turn it off. When the men pulled Sam from the water, he was floppy and blue.

Lucinda’s uncle, who happened to be a doctor, attended to Sam, who thankfully regained consciousness. Sam sustained scarring and bruising on his stomach, but walked away from the ordeal relatively fine.

Now Lucille works with the Royal Life Saving Society UK to raise awareness of the risks of allowing children to use hot tubs.

Five-year-old Boy Sucked Into Hot Tubs Drain and Almost Downed

Photo credit: Standard

“I would urge people to be aware of the risks of hot tubs, and indeed any water, especially while on holiday with unfamiliar pools and hot tubs and varying safety laws,” she said.

“I am so, so grateful that Sam is okay, he has scars on his tummy, but thankfully didn’t realize the gravity of what had happened,” she added. “We were lucky but I do not want anything like this happening to anyone else.”

Meanwhile, RLSS UK’s CEO, Di Steer, said that they work with many people who have lost loved ones in drowning incidents.

He said: “We urge people to please always take time to look for and identify any potential water dangers when at home or, particularly on holiday when people’s guards are down and they are relaxing and less familiar with their surroundings.”

READ: Mom warns to always watch over children when they are in water 

If you have any insights, questions or comments regarding the topic, please share them in our Comment box below or check out theAsianparent Community for more insightful parenting news and tips . Like us on Facebook and follow us on Google+ to stay up-to-date on the latest from theAsianparent.com Philippines!

Partner Stories
Boys Need Protection, Too
Boys Need Protection, Too
What causes jaundice in newborn babies?
What causes jaundice in newborn babies?

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

James Martinez

Become a Contributor

  • Home
  • /
  • Child Safety
  • /
  • Five-year-old boy sucked into hot tub’s drain and almost downed
Share:
  • Parents' Guide: 17 things na hindi dapat gawin sa newborn baby

    Parents' Guide: 17 things na hindi dapat gawin sa newborn baby

  • Newborn Guide: 5 Effective methods of burping your baby

    Newborn Guide: 5 Effective methods of burping your baby

  • Parent's Guide: How to protect your child from accidental poisoning?

    Parent's Guide: How to protect your child from accidental poisoning?

  • Parents' Guide: 17 things na hindi dapat gawin sa newborn baby

    Parents' Guide: 17 things na hindi dapat gawin sa newborn baby

  • Newborn Guide: 5 Effective methods of burping your baby

    Newborn Guide: 5 Effective methods of burping your baby

  • Parent's Guide: How to protect your child from accidental poisoning?

    Parent's Guide: How to protect your child from accidental poisoning?

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Baby Names
    • Delivery
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Advice for Parenting Kids
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Lifestyle Section
    • Local celebs
    • Celebrities
    • Money
    • News
  • FAMILY & HOME
    • Couples
    • Weekend & Holiday Guide
    • Health
  • Building a BakuNation
    • More
      • TAP Community
      • Advertise With Us
      • Contact Us
      • Become a Contributor


    • Singapore flag Singapore
    • Thailand flag Thailand
    • Indonesia flag Indonesia
    • Philippines flag Philippines
    • Malaysia flag Malaysia
    • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
    • India flag India
    • Vietnam flag Vietnam
    • Australia flag Australia
    • Japan flag Japan
    • Nigeria flag Nigeria
    • Kenya flag Kenya
    © Copyright theAsianparent 2023. All rights reserved
    About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
    • Tools
    • Articles
    • Feed
    • Poll

    We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

    We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

    theAsianparent heart icon
    Nais naming magpadala ng notification sa'yo tungkol sa latest news at update sa pag-aalaga ng baby at kanilang kalusugan.