On November 1, 12-year-old Amelia Yeoman was told to dive into a 1.2 metre deep pool during a swimming lesson organised by her primary school.
She suffered fractures in her C5, C6 and C7 vertebrae, causing severe trauma to her spinal cord. The school girl was airlifted to the Royal Children’s Hospital, and now has no movement below the armpits.
“We’re trying to stay positive, but my biggest fear is that she may never be able to walk again,” her mother, Rebecca O’Connor, told the Herald Sun.
Ms O'Connor said the incident had turned her life "upside down", and she is now considering taking legal action against the swim school.
"I feel very angry, but the anger gets me nowhere and I need to stay strong for Milly. You send your kids to a place you trust, and you never think something like this would ever happen," she said.
Milly's aunt has set up a GoFundMe page to help the family pay for her medical costs. Doctors have told the family Milly will have to stay in hospital over Christmas, and could be in there until March.
Top Comments
That's a pretty shallow pool for diving, especially with a younger person who might not know how to dive and stay shallow.
Here's hoping for a full recovery.
Exactly, I swim in a pool that depth, and there are signs saying "NO DIVING". I was race swimming at that age, I could safely dive into it, but someone not taught to dive for a race tends to go straight down.