2 Children Found Dead in Neighbor's Pool on Long Island

John Mitty Monday, April 15, 2013

Sharon Knowles, age 7, and Ralph Knowles, age 5, were reported missing by their mother, who called police to instigate a search.  The two were found dead in the pool belonging to their neighbor.  While the pool was only four feet deep, the two apparently did not know how to swim, and drowned in the water.

The pool was enclosed by a fence, but the owner had been cited for improper fencing and had apparently never bothered to call a fencing contractor to fix the fence.  While the pool was surrounded fully, the framed side was facing outward, making the fence easy for children to climb.  Previously in the day, neighbor Donnavon Downs had spotted the children climbing a tree in their own yard.  “I saw them on the limb right there, and I don’t know if they looked over, curious, on the other side, (to) see the pool.  It was very sad,” he explained. 

The home where the children lived was operated by a non-profit organization which provides housing to homeless Long Island families, which may explain why the children’s parents could not afford swimming lessons.  Further information on the tragedy has not yet come to light, and there has not yet been any public comment from the pool's owner.

jmitty@longislandyellowpages.com

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