A devastating mix-up between the parents of a five-year-old boy might have led to his tragic drowning in an adult pool, as revealed during an inquest.
Little Robin Van Caliskan was discovered face down in the pool at the Atlantic Reach holiday park just hours after his family set up camp at the site in Newquay, Cornwall, on July 31, 2023.
How the Tragedy Unfolded
The inquest uncovered that the family had booked a swimming slot for the day.
Initially, Robin went swimming with his father in the adult pool while his mother and baby brother stayed in the baby pool.
After some time, the family moved to the children’s pool.
Robin’s mother later returned to the adult pool for a swim, unaware that Robin had followed her.
This miscommunication led both parents to believe their son was with the other, ultimately resulting in an accidental death.
The horrifying reality hit when the parents saw a group of people pulling a boy out of the water and performing CPR.
Cemal and Ferzane Caliskan, along with their two children, had arrived at the park around 2 p.m. on August 31, during the summer holidays.
Originally from Turkey but living in Plymouth, the family decided to use the pool facilities.
A Misleading View
Ferzane, after returning from the adult pool, took family photos on her phone only to realize Robin was missing.
Both parents had been misled by frosted glass partitions between the baby pool and the adult pool, which obscured their view and made them believe Robin was where they thought he was.
When a bystander noticed Robin at the bottom of the pool and raised the alarm, a first-aid trained staff member and an off-duty police officer performed CPR using the available kit and defibrillator until paramedics arrived.
Despite their best efforts for 30 minutes, Robin was declared dead at the scene.
The Inquest Findings
Detective Constable Steph Trebilcock reported that Robin’s death resulted from a period of unsupervised swimming caused by a misunderstanding between his parents.
It was also noted that Robin was not a strong swimmer.
Henry Vernon, the managing director of Atlantic Reach, mentioned that their health and safety risk assessment led them to conclude that lifeguards were not necessary.
The pool’s capacity was capped at 54 people year-round, and at the time of the incident, 46 people were in the pool, including the Caliskan family.
The holiday park had no lifeguards despite recommendations from Cornwall Council’s health and safety department following a previous incident in 2020.
Although lifeguards were suggested for busy periods, there is no legal requirement for them at holiday parks.
Ann-Marie Jameson, a safety officer from Cornwall Council, noted that while the pool’s safety standards were adequate, a lifeguard might have changed the outcome.
Legal and Safety Implications
Senior Coroner Andrew Cox concluded that it was unfair to speculate if a lifeguard could have intervened more effectively, as they might have been distracted.
The jury’s verdict was accidental death, attributing the tragedy to a brief, unintended lapse in supervision due to parental miscommunication.
The inquiry also highlighted that there were no staff assigned to monitor safety around the pool, consistent with the company’s policy and risk assessment.
The frosted glass between pools misled the parents into believing their child was safe with the other.
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