'I couldn't see it!': Parents shocked by 'scary' photo at kids' pool party
A seemingly ordinary photo of a backyard pool has left parents “terrified” over a shocking detail hidden in plain sight.
The photo shows a bright blue swimming pool, bordered by a pool fence and beach towels. But it’s what you can’t see that is shocking viewers.
At the bottom of the pool is a child, but they are barely visible from the surface, highlighting just how easily a drowning can be overlooked.
The child in the pool was not injured or in trouble - they were asked to swim to the bottom for the purpose of the photo.
The image was shared by CPR Kids, an organisation run by paediatric nurses who teach CPR and first aid, to raise awareness of child drownings.
“What do you see underneath the water here? Anything?” CPR Kids wrote on Facebook with the image.
“Yes, there is a child there. Hard to believe, we know!”
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The group said the photo was captured by one of their educators, who noticed the pool had become cloudy - possibly due to sunscreen - after being used all day.
“She asked one of the children who was wearing a pale blue swimsuit, to swim to the bottom. The result shocked her - as it did everyone in the CPR Kids team!” the post read.
Photo highlights need for bright swimwear
The child’s swimwear played a huge part in their visibility underwater, with CPR Kids urging parents and caregivers to choose fluro or brightly coloured swimmers for kids.
“Make sure you dress the kids in bright and colourful swimwear so that they are easier to see at all times. Remember; drowning is silent, and every second counts,” the group said.
Dozens of shocked parents were left stunned over the photo, with many admitting they couldn’t see the child at the bottom of the pool.
“That is so scary! I couldn’t see the child at all,” one woman wrote.
“This makes me feel so sick,” another said.
“This is so frightening,” a third viewer commented.
Many parents also vowed to buy bright swimwear for their kids.
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