Police investigate after 2-year-old girl drowns in kids pool

A 119 ambulance

Police said Sunday they are investigating the death of a 2-year-old girl who drowned in a children's pool at a kids cafe the previous day.

Incheon Seobu Police Precinct said it received a report at 11:37 a.m. Saturday that a child had fallen into a swimming pool at a kids cafe — essentially, an indoor playground — located in Seo District, Incheon.

The parents heard other children screaming and found their child had fallen into the so-called kids pool. They performed CPR on her and reported the drowning to 119 emergency respondents.

The child was in a state of cardiac arrest and immediately transferred to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Police said the child fell into the water while playing in a pool 67 centimeters (26.7 inches) deep, 4.8 meters (15.7 feet) long and 3.2 meters wide.

The kids cafe was unmanned, with customers making reservations to use it at a set time. It has toys such as blocks, trains, a tent and a kids pool.

Police said they will investigate the cafe's safety management and business certificate.

They also plan to secure CCTV footage to determine if safety procedures are being followed.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety defines a kids cafe as a business that provides entertainment for children for a fee by installing entertainment facilities and equipment.

However, swimming pools, including kids pools, are not included in such entertainment facilities or equipment permitted under relevant laws, hence there are no clear safety guidelines for them.

Swimming pools operated for profit must be reported as a swimming pool business according to the Act on the Installation and Use of Sports Facilities, but smaller pools like those at kids cafes fall under the radar.

There have been similar drownings at pool resorts and other accommodations.

On July 6, a 20-month-old baby boy drowned in a children's pool at a pool resort in Gapyeong County, Gyeonggi.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]