Prattville teen dies after pool drowning, driver charged in alcohol delivery

A 16-year-old Prattville girl died after officers and fire medics rushed to a Simmons Road home where she was found unresponsive in a swimming pool, and investigators later said she had consumed a substantial amount of alcohol before entering the water. Prattville police said the alcohol was delivered by Manoj Chitta, a food delivery driver who did not verify her age and also communicated with her outside the app.

Police Chief Mark Thompson said officers were called about 10:32 p.m. on June 3 to the home in Prattville, where emergency responders started life-saving measures at the scene. The juvenile was then taken to Children’s of Alabama in Birmingham and died June 5. Chitta was arrested and charged with Sale of Alcohol to a Minor and Criminally Negligent Homicide, while the city said the case remains an active investigation and that he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case reaches beyond one tragic night. Drowning is quick and often silent, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says children can drown in seconds, even when adults are nearby. The American Academy of Pediatrics says no single safeguard is enough, pointing to layered protection that includes close, constant supervision, early swim lessons, barriers that keep children away from water, and CPR training for adults who may be first on scene. The CDC also warns that adults watching children near water should avoid distractions such as phones, alcohol and drugs.

In Prattville, families can enroll in swim lessons each summer at Pratt Pool through Prattville Parks and Recreation. The 2026 sessions are two consecutive weeks, 45 minutes a day, for children 3 and older, and registration is handled at Doster Community Center, 424 S. Northington Street, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The city said registration opened May 1. Prattville Fire Department also offers CPR training and first aid classes, and residents can call 334-595-0300 for information. The American Red Cross also offers CPR training in Alabama, including classes in the Montgomery area, with in-person, online and blended options.

For Autauga County families heading into swim season, the lesson from Simmons Road is painfully clear: one missed age check, one unlocked barrier or one distracted adult can change a household forever. The investigation will test the responsibilities of a delivery driver, a platform and the safety systems meant to keep alcohol away from minors, but the public health stakes are already plain.