Pool Drain Danger Beware: Little Girl Loses Intestines

I just read a heartbreaking and quite disturbing story about a six-year old Minnesota girl who had most of her intestines sucked out of her body by a pool drain. She is lucky to be alive although her life will never be the same.

Abigail Taylor sat on the drain at the bottom of the pool and her bottom created suction on the drain. The strength of the suction from the drain pulled most of her small intestine out, according to wire reports.

A several hours in surgery, Abigail now has a permanent colostomy and now faces a lifetime of intravenous feedings since that's the only way she will be able to receive all of her nutrients.

Without her small intestines she cannot process food.

Her father, Scott Taylor said in wire reports that he's talking to the media to make sure other parents and pool owners are aware of the dangers lurking at the bottom of pools.

"The suction from a pool drain can be so powerful that it can hold an adult under water, but most entrapment incidents involve children," according to the Consumer Products Safety Commission.

So parents, pool owners and anyone else who swims or is around pools--please take care, warn your children of pool dangers and please, please don't sit on the pool drain.

Here are some Revolution Health resources for pool safety:

Pool safety tips
Swimming FAQs
Water safety
Child safety: Prevent drowning