JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – City leaders are looking to make some changes after the recent deaths of three children in local retention ponds. A 4-year-old girl died Monday morning after she drowned in a privately-owned retention pond.
Police say the girl had wandered away her mom was doing yard work on Shadwell Court. The 4-year-old’s body was found in a retention pond behind a nearby home two hours later.
A stuffed animal wrapped in what looks like a baby blanket along with flowers now sits in memory of the little girl near the pond where she drowned.
City leaders are taking immediate action after the body of a 4-year-old girl was recovered from a retention pond in the Argyle Forest neighborhood. This memorial sits outside the pond where the little girl was found. Heartbreaking. @wjxt4 @CityofJax https://t.co/FPA2dvG0sj pic.twitter.com/cSZqHugYPP
— Brittany Muller (@BrittMullerNews) June 29, 2021
Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry announced an effort to prevent future tragedies on social media, adding that private property owners should help too.
1. I’m deeply saddened to learn another young child has died in a privately owned retention pond. Effective immediately, I am directing my administration to allow natural growth around retention ponds to create natural barriers to prevent further tragedies.
— Lenny Curry (@lennycurry) June 28, 2021
Neighbors have their own take on what to do to prevent these tragedies and it doesn’t involve natural barriers.
“If there was a fence up because of law mandate this child would be alive,” said Sunni Kirby, a neighbor.
A New4Jax I-Team report found there are 240 retention ponds in Duval County that are maintained by the city. There are even more that are privately owned, like the one where the little girl died yesterday. Some have fences but property owners are not required to have a fence.
Records how 10 complaints have been sent to the city about the safety of retention ponds since the start of 2021.
Jacksonville City Council members have previously met with state regulators to figure out how to move forward with new safety requirements for retention ponds across Duval County, with Councilpersons Ju’Coby Pittman and LeAnna Cumber leading the charge.
The last time stakeholders met was in early June, but talks had been ongoing since then.
“It takes time to develop anything that is successful. We are hoping and praying that no tragedy happens,” Pittman said on June 21.
Following the death of the 4-year-old girl, Councilmember Ju’Coby Pittman shared this statement,
“Unfortunately these retention ponds are essential to developments, but has been a hazard and are contributing to the drowning of innocent children. Councilwoman LeAnna Cumber and I are passionate about this tragic issue that has affected families in the last few months. Our efforts are to look at other models, such as in Tallahassee, to develop local legislation and safety precautions for the retention pond.”
Pittman said a meeting is being scheduled for city agencies, such as the Public Works Department.