Tragic Drowning Incident

• 💔 Three-year-old Anthony Malave drowned at El Paso's Camp Cohen Waterpark during a Mother's Day weekend visit.
• 📱 Witnesses reported his mother, Jessica Weaver, was "all dolled up" taking selfies and singing into her iPhone, allegedly ignoring Anthony for over an hour.
• ⚠️ Other parents observed Anthony spitting chips into the water and expressed frustration, indicating a lack of supervision.

Legal Battle and Accusations

• ⚖️ Jessica Weaver filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Destination El Paso and the city, claiming gross negligence and alleging the park was unprepared.
• 🚫 Weaver's attorney claimed the park prohibited personal life jackets and lacked sufficient park-provided ones, a claim disputed by the city.
• 🚨 Weaver was later arrested and indicted for her son's death, facing potential life in prison, with her attorneys calling it a retaliatory tactic for the lawsuit.

Parental Responsibility vs. Park Liability

• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The district attorney emphasized that parents are responsible for their children, stating lifeguards are not babysitters.
• 🧠 Psychologists and drowning experts highlighted the innate parental duty to protect children and the dangers of distraction.
• 📱 The panel debated whether a "phone addiction" could serve as a defense, with a psychologist stating it's not a recognized diagnosis.

Drowning Risks and Prevention

• ⏱️ Experts, including Dr. Thomas Coin and Dr. Tom Griffiths, confirmed that a child can drown in as little as 90 seconds to 3 minutes.
• ✅ Dr. Griffiths advised parents to put away cell phones (texting is neglecting) and ensure non-swimming children wear Coast Guard approved life jackets.
• 🚫 The discussion also touched on other cases where parental inattention due to phone use or other distractions led to child fatalities.