Twin toddlers in the US have drowned after a “tragic accident” when their great-grandmother, who has Alzheimer’s, left a back door open, allowing them to gain access to the home’s unfenced pool.
Mum Jenny Callazzo found her 18-month-old children, Locklyn and Loreli, at the bottom of the pool on March 16.
The twins, a boy and a girl, were unconscious when they were pulled from the water, and were tragically pronounced dead two hours later, New York Post reports.
Ms Callazzo, 37, a stay-at-home mum, lives at the home in Oklahoma City with her grandmother, husband Sonny, 42, and six children.
Her grandmother, who has Alzheimer’s, reportedly left the back door open, allowing the twins to slip out of the house and into the pool, a relative told Daily Mail.
Aerial footage of the home showed a pool filled with green-coloured water, possibly from algae, with no fencing around it.
Police are investigating the twins’ deaths but don’t believe there was any foul play, the outlet said.
A few days before the accident, Ms Callazzo posted pictures of her twins outside the home on social media, with the caption: “Just want to play outside.”
Neighbours said they saw the distraught mum get into the back of an ambulance as paramedics battled to save her children.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family with expenses.
“These beautiful babies were taken from us too soon. Anything you can give to help with expenses would be greatly appreciated. We appreciate everyone’s love and support,” the fundraising page reads.
Australian pool fence regulations
In Australia, regulations for residential pool fences are very strict, though they vary slightly between states.
In Victoria, safety barriers/fences must be 1.2m high. Gates must be self-closing and self-latching and pools can’t have direct access via a door from a building.
In NSW, a pool fence (including inflatable pools that can hold over 30cm of water) must:
• Be at least 1.2m high (as measured from the finished ground level)
• Not leave a gap at the bottom bigger than 10cm from the finished ground level
• If a boundary fence is part of the pool fence, the barrier must be 1.8m high
• Not have gaps of more than 10cm between any vertical bars in the fence
• If containing horizontal climbable bars, have these spaced at least 90cm apart
• Perforated or mesh barriers must have holes no greater than 13mm for fence heights of 1.2m
• Perforated or mesh barriers of 1.8m height with holes greater than 13mm must not exceed 100mm
• The pool fence must be well-maintained and in good working order.
Fences and gates are also required to be inspected.
This article originally appeared on New York Post and was reproduced with permission