Near Drowning Results in Neglect Charge

Date Added: March 25, 2019 1:40 pm

Captain Michael Fowler
Patrol Commander
Office: 386-763-7586    

NEAR DROWNING RESULTS IN NEGLECT CHARGE 

Officers were dispatched to Perry’s Ocean Edge Resort located at 2209 South Atlantic Avenue last night after resort staff pulled an unresponsive three-year-old boy from the hot tub.

An investigation into the incident revealed that twin boys, aged three, were in the hot tub with their mother, Apryl Connolly, 36, of Deltona, and the children’s father. As the pool was closing, the father left the children in the care of Connolly while he gathered the family’s belongings.

Shortly thereafter, the desk clerk, Wanda Van Blarrume, who was watching the surveillance video from the lobby, saw the twins return to the hot tub where they were standing on an interior seat. One of the boys then stepped into the middle of the hot tub and went under the water. Ms. Van Blarrume soon believed the boy may be drowning.

Ms. Van Blumme radioed another staff member, Michael Johnson, and told him what she had seen. When Johnson arrived at the pool area, he saw the victim’s twin brother near the edge, but the victim could not be seen. Johnson was informed by a guest on the second floor, Brittany Fishel, that she too had seen a child floating in the hot tub. Johnson turned off the jets and could then see the submerged child. He jumped into the hot tub and pulled out the boy who was not breathing and had no pulse.

Mr. Johnson and the boy’s father began CPR until Ms. Fishel arrived. She continued resuscitative efforts until the child began to breathe on his own. The child was transported to Halifax Medical Center, but due to the severity of his condition, was transported to Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital in Orlando.

When officers reviewed the video surveillance footage, they noted that while Connolly’s child was being resuscitated, she went to her purse and threw something in the garbage. Officers recovered a pill from the garbage can which Connolly admitted to disposing of during the emergency. Connolly further admitted to consuming alcohol, marijuana, oxycodone, and Suboxone prior to the incident.
Connolly was charged with felony Child Neglect and Destruction of Evidence. She has no bond.

For additional information, please contact Captain Michael Fowler at 386-527-8273