A 6-year-old boy from New Jersey drowned at summer camp on his first day.

An unfortunate tragedy occurred at Liberty Lake Day Camp in Mansfield Township, New Jersey on June 24, when 6-year-old Michael Stewart drowned in the pool. The incident took place in the afternoon, around 2 p.m. It is currently being investigated by authorities.

According to the camp's owner and director, Andy Pritikin, a lifeguard discovered the child unresponsive in the water. The staff immediately pulled Stewart out and performed CPR, but unfortunately, he did not survive and was pronounced dead at the hospital. It was reported that the child was part of an inclusion program for children with special needs.

Pritikin stated that at the time of the drowning, there were five staff members present, including one specifically assigned to the child, and four lifeguards on duty. It is still unclear how long the child was underwater before being noticed by the lifeguard.

In a Zoom meeting with the camper's families, Pritikin expressed his devastation and heartbreak over the incident. He also extended his thoughts and prayers to the family and requested privacy for them during this difficult time.

Moving forward, the camp has implemented new safety measures. All staff members will now be required to be in the water with the children, and a buddy check system will be put in place. Despite the tragedy, the camp operated as usual on June 25, with children swimming and lifeguards on duty. Pritikin explained that he felt it was important to maintain a sense of "normalcy" for both the staff and children.

The mother of the young victim, Enjoli Stewart, holds the camp accountable for her son's death. In an interview with Fox 29 News, she expressed her heartbreak and anger, saying, "Liberty Lake messed up, big time. Now I don't have a son anymore, like, that's heartbreaking." Two separate GoFundMe pages have been set up to support the family during this difficult time.

In a tragic coincidence, this incident comes just days after a teenager lost his life while trying to save his younger brother from drowning during Hurricane Ian. Our thoughts and prayers go out to both families during this difficult time.

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