An Aussie mum has recalled the terrifying moment she found her son “floating face down like a starfish” while swimming at the beach with his cousins. And it’s a reminder for other parents to be aware and “recognise the signs” of drowning before it’s too late.
Last month, South Australian mum Tiffany shared with Yahoo News a little-known skill that could help save a life in an emergency after a terrifying ocean encounter of her own when her siblings were young children. Chloe Freeman agrees “it’s crucial to be prepared” as life-saving groups continue to grapple with an alarming number of rescues each summer.
Chloe, a qualified Austswim swim teacher and former lifeguard, was visiting Sorrento Beach on the Mornington Peninsular, Victoria last summer with her sister-in-law and their combined five children. They all knew how to swim safely thanks to lessons.
But while setting up the sun tent, Chloe said she “turned around to do a head count” and noticed “a child face down in the water”. Realising it was her three-year-old Lewis, the Victorian mum “ran into the water fully dressed, not knowing whether he would be alive or if it was too late.”
“I noticed he was trying to lift his head, though it was a very small movement,” she said. “I was met by a man who helped me lift Lewy out of the water.
“Lewy was hypothermic in my arms, eyes closed, shallow breathing. It took some time to stabilise Lewy’s oxygen levels,” she added. Her son was rushed to hospital in an ambulance where he stayed for observation.
Chloe is a qualified Austswim swim teacher and former lifeguard. Source: Supplied
If it wasn’t for her knowledge about water safety Chloe, a qualified Austswim swim teacher, and former lifeguard fears he “would have drowned”. Instantly, she recognised that he was drowning.
“In that moment, if I had looked out and thought, ‘a child is just swimming or playing’ and had ignored the signs, Lewy would have drowned. It’s that simple,” she said.
‘Accidents can happen to anyone,’ mum warns
Despite her experience, and her children’s confidence around water, Chloe said what happened shows that “accidents in the water can happen to anyone”. Swimming lessons and experience around water “doesn’t mean you’re immune to accidents,” she said.
“The key message is to remain aware of the dangers that surround your kids in the water. My message to other families would be to know what drowning looks like so you can recognise the signs when it’s happening,” she added.
“Also, learn CPR – you never know when you might need to perform it. It’s crucial to be prepared and don’t underestimate the importance of water safety education.”
Alarming drowning stats in Australia
Throughout the month of December, there were 7 fatal drowning incidents across the state, Life Saving Victoria told Yahoo News. Nationally, there were tragically 31 drowning deaths within the same period.
On average 8 fatal drownings have been recorded for this period each year over the past 10 years, between 2014 to 2024 in Victoria. Across the country, 134 people died from drownings between December 2023 and February 2024, according to Royal Life Saving Australia’s Summer Drowning Report 2023/24.
The figures revealed there was at least one drowning per day across last summer, with 39 per cent of those who drowned adults aged 55 and over, and 10 per cent children up to the age of 14.
Chloe and Lewy were at Sorrento Beach in Victoria when the three-year-old almost drowned. Source: Google Images
Ambulance Victoria Director Emergency Management Dale Armstrong said Lewy’s near-drowning was a reminder to all parents to be vigilant this summer.
“Children drowning often occurs silently and without warning after accidental falls, with children aged under four most at risk,” Dale said. “Always supervise children near water and learn CPR, in case of an emergency.
“Read the signs around waterways to familiarise yourself with the dangers and, where possible, swim between the flags at Life Saving Victoria patrolled waterways.”
Several drowning incidents already this summer
Last week, a 21-year-old man drowned at one of Canberra’s most popular swimming spots. A witness said she heard “a man screaming from the water” saying “drowning” at Canberra’s Pine Island – a section of the Murrumbidgee River often frequented by residents looking to cool off.
In Tasmania, a 38-year-old man drowned after encountering difficulty with strong currents while attempting to rescue four children at Carlton Beach, east of Hobart in the same week.
Meanwhile, a 55-year-old Brisbane man died after he fell off a waterfall near Cairns in far north Queensland. And in the Gold Coast, an 18-year-old man died falling 15m into a rock embankment after reportedly using a rope swing at the Coomera River.
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