Inquest Into Toddler's Pool Death

An inquest's heard how a Southampton toddler drowned in a garden swimming pool that his parents had bought just a day before to replace a smaller one in a bid to prevent their son from gaining access to it.

Brooklyn Emon, aged two years and eight months, had been excited about the arrival of the new pool at the family home in Hatley Road on Tuesday April 19 this year.

His parents, Leah Montague and Adam Emon, filled the heated and filtered pool, which took 6,000 gallons of water that night.

They repeatedly warned Brooklyn that he was not allowed to go near it alone, the Southampton hearing was told.

The following day Mr Emon returned home from work early to play with his son in the pool.

Detective Sergeant Nigel Lee, of Hampshire Constabulary, said:

''Mr Emon was at work but decided to come home early as a surprise as he knew he (Brooklyn) had been excited about the pool during the day.

''Both parents informed him repeatedly and Brooklyn knew he wasn't allowed to go near the pool, the old one as well as the new one, without his armbands and without them being present.''

Mr Lee described how the father and son played in the pool with a remote-control boat over a half-hour period.

After getting out of the pool, Brooklyn had his dinner before joining his father, who was repairing his car with a friend, Gary Mabey, in a car park at the rear of the property.

Mr Lee explained that a gate leads from the car park to the garden, but Brooklyn was not able to open it by himself.

Ms Montague had gone into the house to check the family finances on the computer and to phone her mother in Italy.

Mr Lee said:

''On completion of that phone call, she came down and saw Brooklyn floating face up in the pool, not moving.

''She screamed and jumped in the pool and described how he wasn't moving.

''Mr Emon was still in the car park area when he heard the splash of Leah jumping into the paddling pool. He went to check if it was Brooklyn and found Leah hysterical with Brooklyn in her arms.''

The parents and Mr Mabey attempted to resuscitate Brooklyn and he was taken to Southampton general hospital but medics were unable to save him, the inquest heard.

Dr Bhumita Vadgama, a paediatric consultant who carried out a post-mortem examination, said that the cause of death was deprivation of oxygen to the brain following immersion in water.

Southampton coroner Keith Wiseman recorded a verdict of accidental death.