A six-year-old boy was found unresponsive on the bottom of a swimming pool at a soccer camp in Washington, DC, after the lifeguard on duty allegedly took a lunch break.
As reported by FOX5, the incident took place on Monday, July 20, at a Nike Soccer Camp on the grounds of the University of the District of Columbia. The police report details that camp counsellors spotted Adonis Jackson lying at the bottom of the pool and immediately tried to save him.
One camp counsellor jumped in to bring him to the surface, but was unable to lift him from the pool. The Head Coach then jumped in, hauled him out, and immediately began CPR. Thankfully, he began breathing, and first responders brought him to a local hospital where he was intubated and stabilized.
“No lifeguard was on duty”
Questions were soon asked about the lifeguard on duty and why it fell to the camp counsellors to jump into the pool. As reported by PEOPLE, the University of the District of Columbia’s lifeguard manager states they “told authorities that he stepped away from the pool for a lunch break and said that no lifeguard was on duty when the incident happened.”
The University was asked for clarification and gave a statement:
“We were deeply saddened to learn that a participant in the Nike Soccer Summer Camp, which utilizes the UDC athletic complex, was injured yesterday. Emergency responders from UDC Police and DC FEMS were contacted, and the participant was transported to the hospital for treatment. Our thoughts are with him and his family, and we wish him a full and speedy recovery.”
They also confirmed that the pool has been closed and a review of the incident is underway. It was not clarified whether it’s standard practise for a lifeguard to step away from a swimming pool full of young children to take a lunch break.
Dominique Calhoun, an attorney now acting for the boy’s family, also says the way the incident was communicated to Jackson’s mom also raises questions:
“At 1:30, she received a call saying, ‘Hey, Adonis had guzzled some water,’ thinking it was something minor, not severe. She said, ‘Hey, I’ll come and pick him up,’ and that’s when the counselor said, ‘We are going to take him to the hospital.’ It wasn’t until the moment that she gets to the hospital that she learns how devastating this could’ve been.”
Calhoun also clarified that Adonis had been at the bottom of the pool for over two minutes and that his family is still unclear about the circumstances surrounding the incident. He added:
“Today and at this moment, Adonis is stable and we are thankful to God, to the physicians, to the nurses, and all who are taking care of him. But this needless situation has put this family in a perilous position, and they feel lost in some respects.”
Jackson remains hospitalized, his family has been prepared for a long recovery, and the results of the safety review are pending.
Published: Jul 23, 2026 08:48 am