Broward water-safety push warns of record child drownings

A 4-year-old boy died after being pulled unresponsive from a swimming pool in late June 2026, and an 8-year-old drowned at a North Lauderdale house party in 2024. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and local advocates used a swim safety lesson at the Boys & Girls Club of Broward County in North Lauderdale to press for stronger prevention.

A congressional release tied to the North Lauderdale event put Florida at 119 child drowning deaths in 2025, the most in state history. The same release put the state on pace to top that figure in 2026, with 62 drownings so far, including 13 across Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties combined. Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4 and the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 5 to 14, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Broward County’s SWIM Central program, established in 1999, was one of the only programs of its kind in the country at the time. The county now works with 23 organizations to teach water safety countywide and maintain a database of swimming programs and facilities. It also offers discount coupons for low-cost swimming lessons for children ages 6 months to 8 years at more than 45 facilities across Broward.

Florida leads the country in drowning deaths of children ages 1 to 4, and home swimming pools are where most children are likely to drown, according to the Florida Department of Health. The state’s prevention strategy relies on layered protection, including supervision, barriers and emergency preparedness. Florida’s swimming lesson voucher program offers free lessons to eligible families, with children age 4 and younger qualifying if household income is no more than 200% of the federal poverty level, and children with autism and active military families prioritized.