Police: 7-year-old girl drowns in backyard pool her family was renting in Teaneck

Teaneck police have confirmed a child drowned Sunday night in a backyard swimming pool.

News 12 Staff

Jun 27, 2022, 10:12 PM

Updated 831 days ago

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Teaneck police have confirmed a child drowned Sunday night in a backyard swimming pool.
The incident happened at a home on Westervelt Place. The 7-year-old girl, who is from Newark, was at a pool party with relatives. Those relatives had apparently rented the backyard space and the pool through an app called Swimply.
The Teaneck police chief tells News 12 New Jersey that officers were called to the home around 6 p.m. for a report of a missing child.
Family and neighbors searched for her in the backyard and outside of the backyard. But it wasn’t until police got there that she was found in the bottom of the pool.
The child was rushed to Holy Name Medical Center, but was pronounced dead around 7:30 p.m.
The Swimply app is pretty new, but is gaining popularity. It is similar to apps like Airbnb, but users rent just the pool area of a home.
The homeowner says it’s his second year renting the pool out on the and that he makes it clear before people rent the space that there are no lifeguards on duty.
Police are still investigating the incident. The chief tells News 12 that he does not believe any charges will be filed.
A spokesperson for Swimply offered condolences to the family and said that the company will fully cooperate with the investigation.
The company says hosts are eligible for $1 million in liability coverage through the app at no cost. They recommend hosts and guests follow safety measures, including designated water guardians for children and non-swimmers and providing life vests and rescue equipment.
The Teaneck listing has been deactivated on the app while the investigation continues.