Tragedy struck during a swimming lesson at a private nursery when a four-year-old girl drowned in a pool that was deemed too deep for children and lacked a lifeguard on duty.
The distressing incident occurred at a nursery located in the Suleymaniye neighborhood of Inegol in Bursa Province, Turkey, on August 12. Video footage captured staff members struggling to rescue little Berra Dizi after she was discovered floating lifelessly in the water, with a swimming instructor pulling her out of the pool.
Upon arrival, a nurse administered initial aid to the girl before she was swiftly transported by paramedics to a state hospital. Berra was later transferred to Bursa Yuksek Ihtisas Education and Research Hospital but tragically passed away in intensive care seven days later.
An investigation revealed that the pool, utilized for the nursery’s summer activities, had a depth of 74 centimeters (29 inches), surpassing safety regulations that dictate children’s pools should not exceed 50 centimeters (19 inches) in depth.
Investigators noted the absence of a certified lifeguard on duty and highlighted that the swimming instructor was not supervising the children in the pool at the time of the incident. A detailed 12-page report commissioned by prosecutors disclosed that Berra’s mother had previously reported her daughter experiencing febrile seizures as an infant twice; however, she had been seizure-free for two years and had discontinued medication as advised by her physician.
The institution alleged that Berra had an epileptic episode in the pool, suggesting her drowning was linked to her medical condition rather than negligence. In contrast, her parents refuted this claim, asserting that Berra had outgrown her childhood seizures and had no ongoing health issues.
The parents contended that hospital records confirmed drowning as the cause of death and dismissed the seizure theory as an attempt to evade accountability. The investigative report held the nursery operator E.B.O. primarily responsible and the swimming instructor N.T. secondarily accountable.
Moreover, Berra’s parents were labeled as primarily responsible for failing to provide complete medical history, a claim they vehemently disputed as unjust. Ismail Dizi, Berra’s father, criticized the expert panel, pointing out that two members, who were mechanical engineers, had wrongly provided medical opinions instead of evaluating safety breaches.
He highlighted deficiencies in the nursery’s permits and safety protocols, arguing that the facility should not have been permitted to operate a pool. Moum Beyza Turan expressed regret that safety guidelines were not adhered to, mentioning that parents were instructed not to send their children with arm floats on that day, believing her daughter could have been