This story was originally published by 285 South . To view the Spanish-language version, click here .
Marcela Cruz-Baltazar arrived at the Oakhurst Pool in Decatur with her three kids on a Sunday afternoon in early August for their first-ever swimming lesson.
7-year-old Angel Orocio, followed his mom with a nervous look on his face, while Noelia, 11, stood behind them, holding the hand of her three-year-old brother, Uriel. They had been waiting for this moment for months.
“It’s important for me that my kids learn to swim, and finally we are here to have them start their lessons,” Marcela said.
In Georgia this year, at least three children under 17 have died from drowning, according to data from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. In 2023, there were 25 victims, and the year before, 19 children died. Nationwide, drowning is the leading cause of death for children aged one to four, and the second leading cause for those aged five to 14.
Swimming, said Marcela, is a “tool of survival that I need to give to [the children] for their future.”