9-Year-Old Girl Rescues Drowning Boy at Her Birthday Party

A 9-year-old girl gave a youngster at her birthday party the most important gift of all: life.

Keniah Barnes is credited with saving the life of a 6-year-old boy at a private pool party held last week at the Camden Dunwoody Apartments in Dunwoody.

"I didn't expect anything to happen. I thought I was just going to have a good time and nothing bad would happen," Keniah told WGCL TV.

When she noticed the boy go under the water, Keniah quickly swam to the child to pull him out.

"He was right there and he just drowned and I was looking at him. I thought he was just playing," said Keniah.

Witnesses said the boy was taken to the apartment office, where he regained consciousness and is expected to fully recover.

Pool Safety Tips

The DeKalb Fire and Rescue Department recently shared these pool and spa safety tips from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

1.     Never leave a child unattended in or near a pool or spa and always watch your children closely around all bodies of water. Designate a Water Watcher to supervise children in the pool or spa. This person should not be reading, texting, using a smart phone or be otherwise distracted. Adults can take turns being a Water Watcher.

2.     Teach children basic water safety tips.

3.     If a child is missing, look for him or her in the pool or spa first.

4.     Keep children away from pool drains, pipes and other openings to avoid entrapments.

5.     Ensure any pool and spa you use has drain covers that comply with federal standards, and, if you do not know, ask your pool service provider whether your covers are in compliance.

6.     Learn how to swim and teach your child how to swim.

7.     Learn how to perform CPR on children and adults, and update those skills regularly.

8.     Install a four-foot or taller fence around the perimeter of the pool and spa and use self-closing and self-latching gates; ask your neighbors to do the same at their pools.

9.     Install and use a lockable safety cover on your spa.

10.  Have lifesaving equipment such as life rings, floats or a reaching pole available and easily accessible.