A four-year-old girl has died after being found unconscious in a swimming pool at Waterworld, a leisure attraction in Stoke-on-Trent, UK, on August 5. Emergency services were called to the scene around 16:20 local time, where staff and paramedics provided immediate treatment before the child was taken to hospital. She died shortly after arrival.
Staffordshire Police have launched an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident, according to a statement released by the department.
Waterworld confirmed that the incident occurred in the Lagoon area of its Aqua Park. In a post on social media, the facility said the girl was found unconscious and was treated at the poolside by lifeguards and management staff before emergency responders arrived.
Amusement parks are wonderlands that fulfill the dreams of young children and grown-up thrill-seekers alike. These giant, colorful playgrounds are popular destinations for family vacations and children’s birthday celebrations. On the surface, theme parks brim with joy and excitement. Visitors have absolute trust that the engineering of the rides guarantees their safety and that the companies running the parks take every precaution. After all, they wouldn’t be allowed to operate if there were any risks involved, right?
Actually, despite efforts to keep various scandals and accidents quiet, amusement parks all over the world have been held accountable for horrifying negligence, often resulting in the loss of innocent lives. Click through this gallery to learn about some of the most deadly examples of theme park mismanagement in history.