Raphael Perez, 18, drowned in a pond in Myles Standish State Forest last night. At the time, the Brockton teen was on a camping trip with a Seventh-day Adventist church from Fall River.
According to State Police, Perez became “distressed” during his swim in Charge Pond. He was pulled out of the water after the Plymouth, Massachusetts drowning accident and CPR was performed on him. The teen was then taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Perez’s sister, Monica Perez, said that brother drowned while helping another struggling swimmer. Monica was not at the pond that night. The district attorney’s office is investigating the Plymouth drowning accident.
Myles Standish is supervised by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. According to a department spokesperson, boating and swimming are allowed in Charge Pond between dawn and dusk, there are no lifeguards (signs are posted to indicate this), and there is a demarcated swimming area.
Drowning Accidents
Massachusetts drowning accidents can happen in pools, hot tubs, and in natural bodies of water. As our Boston injury lawyers have said in the past, it is important that the necessary care is exercised by those in charge of a swimming area to prevent or decrease the risk of a drowning.
Obviously it is too soon to tell what happened at Charge Lake last night or if anyone should be held liable. For example, did the state do enough to exercise this type of are? How many fatal drownings have occurred there in the past? Could something have been done to prevent Perez’s drowning? Should the church group that he had gone camping with have done more to properly supervise the participants?
Brockton teen who drowned in Plymouth pond remembered by sister as sociable, Boston.com, June 9, 2012
Sister says Mass. drowning victim put others first, WCVB, June 9, 2012
Myles Standish State Forest
More Blog Posts:
Toddler Found Dead After Drowning, Boston Injury Lawyers Blog, May 31, 2012
Massachusetts Swimming Pool Death: State Report Released on Woman’s Fatal Fall River Drowning, Boston Injury Lawyers Blog, April 20, 2012
Boy Dies Following Shrewsbury Drowning Accident at Summer Camp, Boston Injury Lawyers Blog, July 29, 2011
In Massachusetts, contact our Plymouth drowning accident lawyers at Altman & Altman, LLP to request your free case evaluation.