WASHINGTON, DC – A 6-year-old boy is recovering after nearly drowning in a swimming pool at a youth soccer camp held at the University of the District of Columbia, where police say a lifeguard left the area to get food while children were in the water.
Adonis Jackson was found unresponsive at the bottom of the pool during the incident, which occurred while approximately 30 children attending a Nike Soccer Camp were swimming at the end of the day, according to a police report cited by local outlets. The child survived but remains under medical care, with his family warning of potential long-term effects.
Police response and timeline under scrutiny
According to the report, the lifeguard assigned to monitor the pool stepped away and was not present when the emergency unfolded. “Approximately 30 children were in the swimming pool,” the police report states. “A child was unresponsive at the bottom of the pool.”
Emergency audio obtained by WJLA captured the urgency of the response. “I copy a 6-year-old male near drowning,” a 911 dispatcher said. “Cardiac arrest, CPR in progress.” The dispatcher also asked, “How long was he in the water and how long was CPR conducted?”
Attorney Dominique Calhoun, who represents the Jackson family, said the child had been submerged for more than two minutes. “To be underwater for that long, to have your brain deprived of oxygen, to have your body withheld from oxygen for that long, can have lifelong lasting impacts,” Calhoun said.
Family says severity was not initially clear
Calhoun told WTTG that the boy’s mother was initially given limited information about what happened. A camp counselor contacted her and said, “Hey, Adonis has guzzled some water,” leading her to believe the situation was minor.
“[The mom] stated, ‘Hey, I’ll come and pick him up,'” Calhoun said. “And that’s when the counselor said, ‘Well, we’re going to take him to the hospital for further review.’ It wasn’t until the moment that she gets to the hospital that she learned how devastating this could have been.”
Calhoun also questioned how the incident occurred under supervision. “How do we get from a soccer camp to a drowning?” he said.
The organization connected to the camp, U.S. Sports Camps, said in a statement, “We are aware of the incident at the camp held at the University of the District of Columbia, and our thoughts are with the child and their family. This camp is operated by Four Soccer, an independent camp operator, and we are in contact with them as they and the appropriate authorities review what occurred. We are not able to comment on specifics at this time.”
Medical condition and investigation status
Calhoun said doctors are closely monitoring the child’s condition. “Right now, the doctors are closely monitoring his vitals,” he told WJLA. “He is currently sedated, he’s intubated, he’s had some minor activity, which we’re thankful to God for.”
No arrests have been announced as of this week. The family is considering next steps as they seek accountability for what happened.
