Does anyone know what happened at one of our Lakeridge Pools 07/21/08?

[Another Witness]

The lifeguards performed CPR and are certified by the Red Cross. I don't imagine they, nor anyone there, had ever experienced anything more difficult or more tragic. But given this, they did their best with the help of several patrons and wisely yielded to the experienced police officers who arrived just a few moments after Sara was pulled from the water. The NBC4 report was incomplete. The InsideNOVA.com description that I saw appeared to be far more accurate (Drowning victim, 12, fondly remembered).

Sara was in very bad shape right out of the water. As 'A Witness' observed above, given her condition, this had to be a tragic accident of some sort and not simply a drowning.

All of us who were there were touched by Sara that day. Our thoughts and our prayers are with Sara's family.

[very concerned]

does any one know the reall truth on what really happened. I dont want mixed stories i want the truth please!!!
Thanks!

[Jean]

Family members of mine were AT THE SCENE when the drowning occurred. The girls were rough-housing, twirling etc. She was found face-down, uncertain if head was hit etc. but during CPR blood was coming from nose/mouth etc.
I am shocked & in disbelief. How quickly life can be taken.
May God be with the families.

[Pool member also]

Aunt wrote:

NBC4 and the local paper said the police administered CPR, not the lifeguards. Were they not certified? Why did they wait?

The lifeguards did CPR and when the police got on the scene they took over doing CPR on her. Then when EMT arrived on the scene they took over doing CPR. All the guards were certified by red cross.

[Friend of Sara]

I knew sara very well she was a great kid i cant belive she's dead

[Soccer Family Prays]

This is from her team's soccer website. My prayers go our to her family and friends. As a soccer parent, our community is small and we know a friend their friend.
When God calls little children to dwell with Him above,
We mortals sometimes question the wisdom of His love.
For no heartache compares with the death of one small child
Who does so much to make our world seem wonderful and mild.
Perhaps God tires of calling the aged to His fold
So He picks a little rosebud before it can grow old.
God knows how much we need them, so He takes but a few
To make the land of heaven more beautiful to view.
Believing this is difficult, still, somehow we must try,
The saddest word mankind knows will always be "goodbye."
So when a little child departs, we who are left behind
Must realize God loves children... Angels are hard to find.

[DEBORAH]

MY PRAYERS ARE WITH THE FAMULY OF THE LITTLE GIRL WHO DROWNED. I AM SO SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS.

[Bridget]

Lara S wrote:

A friend has informed me that a 12 year old girl drowned in one of our pools yesterday afternoon. Does anyone know if she is okay? My heart goes out to her and the family.
Thank you,

She was chocking and she fell in the pool and fainted and she was in a koma but she didn't live
:( She was a cool person

[Bridget]

very concerned wrote:

does any one know the reall truth on what really happened. I dont want mixed stories i want the truth please!!!
Thanks!

Im sure i know the truth trust me she was at the pool and she started to choke then she fell into the pool after a few minutes and was in a koma but she died :( my prayers go to her friends and family and her

[RBR]

She passed away 2 days later.

Lara S wrote:

A friend has informed me that a 12 year old girl drowned in one of our pools yesterday afternoon. Does anyone know if she is okay? My heart goes out to her and the family.
Thank you,

[Pa Pop]

Sara Lott (The rest of the story)
The weekend of July 19 Sara spent with us. Her mother was supporting her brother in a two day Lacrosse tournament in Timonium Md. After the games on Sunday they would stay there over night and would go to New York’s, Fordham University where her brother would spend the next 10 days participating in a Leadership Camp.
Sara did the usual things one day a friend came over and they went swimming in the neighbor’s pool, she rode her bicycle, jumped on the trampoline, hit golf balls, played basketball, went places with Grandma.
On Monday after noon she went through the play routine, talked to her mother and finally got ready to go to her friend’s birthday party at the Lake Ridge swim club. She had been looking forward to this all weekend as she loved being with her friends. Most of the girls at the party were girls that she had or were playing soccer with for several years.
Sara and Grandma left at 5:30 for the 6:00 party. It takes 15 or 20 minutes to get to the pool from home. Sara always wanted to be early. Grandma said she would probably stay until the party was over. I get a call from the party host around 7:00 asking for Sara’s mother. I told her that she was on the road home from New York. She said there was a problem with Sara and some one needed to be there. I told her that Grandma was probably there some where. She had turned the phone over to her husband who said get her in here. I asked what was wrong with Sara and he said I don’t know but it is bad and hung up.
I called Grandma on her cell phone when she answered I asked where she was and she said I am just pulling in to our drive. I learned latter that Grandma decided not to stay because none of the other girls parents stayed and she did not want to embarrass Sara. By the way Sara would not have been embarrassed because Grandma was always her support.
I said there is a problem with Sara go back to the pool and she immediately turned around and left for the pool. I then called Sara’ mom, she was just on the Capital Beltway on the way home. I tell her what I know and she frantically asks what happened and I told her what I knew. She asked for the host’s phone number which I gave her. I decided to stay put and coordinate phone calls. Sara’s mom calls back in a couple of minutes and said the medics had left the pool with Sara for the Potomac Hospital and Grandma was also in route to the hospital. She told me that I should go to the Hospital to support Grandma. Sara’s mom said she was about one hour away.
I arrived at the Hospital in about 15 minutes, parked in the lower part of the parking lot which was the fastest location and ran to the emergency entrance. I asked a Medic if Sara Lott was there yet. He immediately took me in and found a Hospital patient support person. They were working on Sara in a “medical cube”. The Emergence ward was very busy with people on beds in hall ways but Sara being critical was swept right in and was receiving all possible attention. I was taken to a waiting room where Grandma was and had been for a while. They brought us up to date and asked some questions about Sara. A Prince William Detective was also there being very supportive while trying to find out what happened. I learned when Sara was pulled from the pool that she was not breathing and her heart was not beating. The life guard(s), policemen and Medics had her heart beating and on a respirator before leaving the pool.
(Continued)

[Pa Pop]

Sara (continued)
In a few minutes they asked if we would like to move closer to where they were working on Sara. I did but Grandma was not ready for that. They walked me to a hall way intersection where I could see but of course there was no room for me in the cube. I was soon told that Sara would be medivacked to Fairfax INOVA where Sara could receive more intensive care.
I called her mother and told her she was going to Fairfax as soon as they could get her ready. She was on the Express lanes and would turn around at the Lake Ridge exit. She had called Sara’s dad who lives in Springfield and he was near Woodbridge also and he also turned around for Fairfax Hospital. Sara’s mom called me about 15 minutes later and said she was at Fairfax Hospital and was asking about the status of the medivack. I was out side watching the process and told her they were waiting for clearance to the Fairfax hospital. It soon took off and 6 minutes later Sara’s mom and dad met the medivack at the Fairfax hospital.
The great support staff at the hospital offered to drive us to Fairfax if we needed it but we were okay to drive. They escorted us to Grandma’s car and notified security that my pickup would be in the lot for a while.
When Grandma and I arrived at the Fairfax hospital Sara’s mom and dad were in with her. Sara’s soccer coach, his wife and daughter (Sara’s Friend) were in the waiting room. In a short time Sara was moved to the Pediatric ICU (PICU). Sara’s mom and dad were still with her and would not leave her side through out the life saving attempt. In the PICU waiting room was the Prince William County Detective along with a Fairfax Hospital representative giving support. Friends and relatives of Sara were showing up the room was soon full. Some of her Soccer friends were there and would only leave briefly the next day to return and spend Tuesday night with us.
Sara had not gained conscious and was still on a respirator. Sara’s mom and dad kept us up to date on Dr. Reports and we would take turns visiting Sara. The Dr.’s really needed to know what happened so they could better treat her. She was a strong swimmer In great health, no known health problems, no visible head trama, no water in her lungs. No one saw what happened to her. Did she choke and fall into the water, did she have cramps, did she have a seizure? So far none of the questions are answered.
Fairfax hospital provided professionals to be with Sara’s friends through out the day and night doing things to support Sara and provide understanding about what was going on. One great friend drove all night Tuesday to bring Sara’s brother back from New York to be with Sara.
Hope came and went until finally on Wednesday afternoon after many tests and retests it was determined that she could not recover. Sara’s is an organ donor. Her mother stayed with her until that process ended on late Thursday.
Sara’s mom and brother are staying with friends while they make final arrangements and begin to heal.
We miss you Sara
Love
PaPop

[PaPop]

The girl was Sara Lott my grandaughter this is a the series of events that took place:

The weekend of July 19 Sara spent with us. Her mother was supporting her brother in a two day Lacrosse tournament in Timonium Md. After the games on Sunday they would stay there over night and would go to New York’s, Fordham University where her brother would spend the next 10 days participating in a Leadership Camp.

Sara did the usual things one day a friend came over and they went swimming in the neighbor’s pool, she rode her bicycle, jumped on the trampoline, hit golf balls, played basketball, went places with Grandma.

On Monday after noon she went through the play routine, talked to her mother and finally got ready to go to her friend’s birthday party at the Lake Ridge swim club. She had been looking forward to this all weekend as she loved being with her friends. Most of the girls at the party were girls that she had or were playing soccer with for several years.

Sara and Grandma left at 5:30 for the 6:00 party. It takes 15 or 20 minutes to get to the pool from home. Sara always wanted to be early. Grandma said she would probably stay until the party was over. I get a call from the party host around 7:00 asking for Sara’s mother. I told her that she was on the road home from New York. She said there was a problem with Sara and some one needed to be there. I told her that Grandma was probably there some where. She had turned the phone over to her husband who said get her in here. I asked what was wrong with Sara and he said I don’t know but it is bad and hung up.

I called Grandma on her cell phone when she answered I asked where she was and she said I am just pulling in to our drive. I learned latter that Grandma decided not to stay because none of the other girls parents stayed and she did not want to embarrass Sara. By the way Sara would not have been embarrassed because Grandma was always her support.

I said there is a problem with Sara go back to the pool and she immediately turned around and left for the pool. I then called Sara’ mom, she was just on the Capital Beltway on the way home. I tell her what I know and she frantically asks what happened and I told her what I knew. She asked for the host’s phone number which I gave her. I decided to stay put and coordinate phone calls. Sara’s mom calls back in a couple of minutes and said the medics had left the pool with Sara for the Potomac Hospital and Grandma was also in route to the hospital. She told me that I should go to the Hospital to support Grandma. Sara’s mom said she was about one hour away.

I arrived at the Hospital in about 15 minutes, parked in the lower part of the parking lot which was the fastest location and ran to the emergency entrance. I asked a Medic if Sara Lott was there yet. He immediately took me in and found a Hospital patient support person. They were working on Sara in a “medical cube”. The Emergence ward was very busy with people on beds in hall ways but Sara being critical was swept right in and was receiving all possible attention. I was taken to a waiting room where Grandma was and had been for a while. They brought us up to date and asked some questions about Sara. A Prince William Detective was also there being very supportive while trying to find out what happened. I learned when Sara was pulled from the pool that she was not breathing and her heart was not beating. The life guard(s), policemen and Medics had her heart beating and on a respirator before leaving the pool.

[anonymous]

"Bridget" If you saw something that you are very sure about then you need to report it to the police. Had you spoken up earlier you might have helped save her life. Otherwise keep your comments to yourself.

Bridget wrote:

<quoted text> Im sure i know the truth trust me she was at the pool and she started to choke then she fell into the pool after a few minutes and was in a koma but she died :( my prayers go to her friends and family and her

[friend from school]

Does anyone know when the visitation is for Sarah

[anonymous]

Sara will have a memorial service on Friday August 1st at 1:30 pm at Manassas St Thomas Methodist Church. You can read about the great things in her life in the potomac news tomorrow.

[sad]

yeah i knew her and her brother,didnt think something like this could happen to someone i know.

[concerned]

PaPop,

Our love and prayers go to you, grandma, and Sara's mom, dad, and brother.

May you find peace in your wonderful memories of Sara.

[anonymous]

My daugther team played against Sara's soccer team over memorial day. The soccer community is a small one and we are heartsick. Our thoughts and prayers are with Sara's family.

[Ben Hubbard]

Greetings -

I'm a reporter from the Washington Post and was shocked to read about the death of this young girl.

A pool member expressed to me an impression that lifeguards at the pool have not appeared properly trained when incidents like this came up. Also, has anyone heard about a possible law suit against the management company? If you have any info, you can reach me at [e-mail].