SOUTHLAKE — A teen who was pulled from a Carroll ISD pool early Monday morning has died, according to a district spokeswoman.
Part of the North Texas Nadadores swim team and a freshman at Carroll High School, 13-year-old Elise Cerami was pulled from the pool unconscious during a team practice at the Carroll ISD Aquatics Center just before 7 a.m. in Southlake.
“Elise was doing what she loved to do – what she was passionate about,” said her father, David Cerami, in a statement. “She loves the NTN family; she loves being a Dragon. The support has just been overwhelming. We send our best wishes to Coach Bill for a full recovery, and thank him, all the other students and staff who helped respond and do everything they could to try to help and save Elise."
About 24 members of the North Texas Nadadores swim team were practicing at the time of the accident. A coach administered CPR but the swimmer was unresponsive when medics rushed her to the hospital, said a district spokeswoman.
The teen was first transported to Baylor Regional Hospital in Grapevine and then transferred to Cook Children’s Medical Center.
"We have staff who were witnesses this morning," said Julie Thannum, an assistant superintendent with the district. "We have students upset."
She says a coach was also transported to Baylor with a separate health issue but didn't identify him. She said the coach is now in good condition.
Also Monday morning, a 1-year-old boy died after he was pulled from a Fort Worth apartment pool over the weekend. Sunday night, a 4 year old boy drowned in Highland Village.
"Fifty-five kids last year were affected by near drowning or drowning," said Winnie King, of Cook And it' just too much,” said Winnie King of Cook Children’s Medical Center. “It's too much."
Medical staff at Cook Children's Medical Center were so frustrated they launched an educational campaign last year. They're still frustrated. They've treated 11 near drownings already this month, and lost one child.
"If there were 55 kids that were affected or almost died of anything else, people would be really, really paying attention, would really try to do something," King said. "This should be no different."
Cook Children's Medical Center is working with Fort Worth firefighters to put up signs at pools and urge adults to focus on children when they're near the water.
The Carroll ISD Aquatics Center will remain closed at least until Wednesday. The district also decided to cancel a summer meet that was scheduled for Wednesday.
“We are just heartbroken as we mourn the loss of this child,” said Carroll Superintendent David J. Faltys. “This is the worst kind of news you hear as a parent and educator.”