A video of a six-month-old girl left to fend for herself after falling into a swimming pool has drawn a mixed response from parents. Source: Facebook / Dov
A video of a six-month-old girl left to fend for herself after falling into a swimming pool has drawn a mixed response from parents.
In the video, the baby falls face-first into the pool and starts sinking, before she rolls onto her back and floats with her face out of the water. At the end of the clip, the baby is scooped out of the water by a nearby adult.
While she doesn't cry, the baby appears to be struggling to stay afloat, and her face is almost submerged again several times.
US mum Keri Morrison posted the 90 second video of her daughter Josie in a bid to raise awareness of water survival, after losing her 2-year-old son Jake in a drowning incident in 2013.
The clip has been viewed on Facebook more than 730,000 times, and has drawn a mixture of both praise and criticism.
"I am impressed," wrote one viewer. "If the teaching of these skills were more widely available, there would be a lot less kids dying from drowning."
Another viewer agreed, saying, "There were obviously adults around and the baby was doing well. Great parenting. Showing others how this teaching can save lives."
Keri with her husband Roarke, baby daughter and son Jake, who tragically drowned aged 2. Photo / Facebook/Live Like Jake
However, others haven't been so supportive of the controversial survival method, saying the video was difficult to watch.
"A baby has zero reason to learn anything about the water at that age," wrote one viewer. "They can barely control their limbs. Its the parents duty at that age to watch them like a hawk. A baby should NEVER be by or in a body of water without adults, period."
"This poor baby shouldn't be taught how to swim till there at least able to talk. Why do people think this is good? This child needs the comfort of a parent," wrote another.
Despite the critics, mum Keri, who runs the Live Like Jake Facebook page in remembrance of her son, has defended the video.
She says baby Josie underwent an intensive programme, designed to teach babies "self rescue" in the water.
Keri with daughter Josie, during an interview with a reporter from Fox News. Photo / Facebook/Live Like Jake
"To me, I'm protecting her and that is what a mother is supposed to do, protect her, Morrison told Fox News during an emotional interview.
"I feel like I failed my son and I'm not going to fail my daughters.
"To see her face above the water at such a young age and know what to do. One of the things I really struggle with is that my son fell in the water not knowing what to do.
"I've made it my mission to prevent other families from enduring the pain and the guilt we went through," Morrison said.
