Mom Tells of Heartbreak After Six-Year-Old Son Drowns in Shallow Pool at New Jersey Summer Camp
Source: https://www.msn.com/
Enjoli Amom expressed her devastation after her 6-year-old son, Michael Stewart, drowned in a shallow pool on his first day at a summer camp in New Jersey. The incident at Liberty Lakes is under investigation by police and prosecutors. Enjoli stated that Liberty Lakes made a serious mistake, leading to the loss of her son. The camp temporarily closed the pool following the tragedy, although it had been open the day before the incident occurred.
Key Highlight:
-During a Zoom call with parents, camp director Andy Pritikin provided details about the incident involving 6-year-old Michael Stewart at Liberty Lakes summer camp in New Jersey. Michael was part of a supervised group that included an adult leader, two teen counselors, and advocates for children with special needs. Despite lifeguard ratios above state standards, Michael drowned in the shallow end of a 20-foot-wide pool. Pritikin emphasized that lifeguards had clear visibility of the pool and immediately retrieved Michael from the water after spotting him.
-Michael Stewart, a rising first grader at Lumberton School District, tragically passed away at Liberty Lakes summer camp. Camp director Andy Pritikin announced new safety measures requiring staff to accompany children in the water for certain divisions and implement 10-minute buddy checks.
-Michael drowned during a summer camp on June 24, 2024. The school extends condolences to his family and educators who knew him. Community efforts are underway to support the family, including a lemonade stand fundraiser scheduled for Saturday at noon at the Old Fire House on Main Street.
-Two GoFundMe pages have been set up in support of Michael, describing him as a fighter since birth, born prematurely at 23 weeks with slim survival odds. Despite this, his mother’s advocacy and faith helped him thrive into a caring, intelligent boy named Michael Jeffrey. Known for his love of learning, protective nature toward his sister Layla and mother, fascination with large vocabulary words, and kind heart, Michael Jeffrey deeply impacted everyone he met.
-Fundraisers have been organized by various entities, including Lumberton Township Police Lodge 201 and Johnny Longhots eatery, to support the family of Michael Stewart. At Johnny Longhots, orders mentioning “Lumberton Strong” this week will contribute a portion to the family, and donation jars are available in the restaurant. Melanie Myles, the restaurant manager, expressed deep empathy, emphasizing the impact of Michael’s tragedy, noting she has a 6-year-old herself.
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