Westbrook Girl Dies After Pool Incident in Westbrook, Connecticut

WESTBROOK - A school vacation turned tragic for Marie Patrice Mazeau who was found unresponsive and face down in the swimming pool at the Valley-Shore YMCA in Westbrook on Wednesday, April 16.

Nine-year-old Marie was one of 30 children at the pool during a swimming lesson as part of YMCA's "School's Out Vacation Camp."

Most of the children she was with were fellow Daisy Ingraham Elementary School students.

Schools throughout the region were on spring vacation during that week.

According to the New Haven Register, Paul Mohabir, chief executive officer of the Valley-Shore YMCA, said that one of three lifeguards on duty noticed that Marie's swimming pattern changed and she did not resurface for air.

After taking her out of the pool, one of the lifeguards began performing CPR while the other two escorted the rest of the children into classrooms.

Connecticut State Police Troop F and Westbrook emergency personnel arrived soon after.

She was reportedly taken by ambulance to theMiddlesex Hospital Shoreline Medical Center in Essex at about 10:25 a.m. only hours before she was flown by helicopter for medical treatment at Yale-New Haven Hospital.

When friends and family visited Marie that afternoon, she was on a ventilator.

Mazeau died less than two days after the pool incident shortly before 12 a.m. on Friday, April 18 with her parents, Janet and Steven Mazeau, nearby.

The Register reported that Connecticut State Police spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance said that it was a "tragic accident" and there was no criminality to the case.
Witness interviews helped police establish a clear timeline of the incident including the length of time Marie was underwater.

While a police investigation has been concluded, the report was not available at press time.

The office of the chief medical examiner determined that the cause of death was asphyxia due to submersion.

While Marie was described by family members as a "strong swimmer" it is uncertain how many swimming lessons she had taken.

"We take every possible measure to ensure that all children and adults are safe in our pool. This is the first incident of its kind at our Y, and we are trying to come to terms it. We join Marie's family and friends in mourning the loss of this beautiful child," Mohabir said, according to the New Haven Register.

It is reportedly the first incident of its kind at Valley-Shore YMCA, which is located at 201 Spencer Plains Road.

Mohabir has indicated that an internal review is under way but that the pool area was fully staffed.

To help students and their families deal with the loss of Marie, Ingraham School was open for counseling on April 18 and 19 with special attention given to those students at the pool at the time of the incident.

Marie's family reportedly donated the girl's organs because of her caring, unselfish personality.

Trained counselors are still available at the school and at Youth and Family Services of Westbrook at 860-399-9239.

Age appropriate books dealing with grief are available at the Westbrook Public Library at 688 Boston Post Road.

At press time, a memorial service was scheduled for April 26 at the First Congregational Church while the YMCA named April 26 "Healthy Kids Day, Marie Patrice Day" which will consist of music and games in Marie's memory.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Westbrook Foundation, Inc. P.O. Box 528, Westbrook, CT, 06498.

The foundation will award the Marie Mazeau/Valley Shore YMCA Scholarship to a high school senior in her memory.

School officials indicated that they are also looking to create a "kindness or caring" bench dedicated to Marie.