Surf Or Sound Realty
My daughter nearly drowns, entangled in hot tub drain

We vacationed at Hatteras Island June 14-21. We rented our house in Rodanthe, NC through Surf or Sound Realty. We have rented from them for several years. We have vacationed somewhere in the Outer Banks for the last 13 years.

My husband, two children and myself rented the house sharing it with my Mom and Dad, and my three nephews. On Thursday night, June 19 my daughter was in the hot tub on the screened in porch. She is 10 years old, 5 ft. Tall and weighs 100 pounds. She is a very good swimmer and respectful of hot tubs. I am a nurse and her dad is a paramedic, so we have drilled her about pool and hot tub safety. We have both seen our share of accidents in out jobs.

She asked us before going in and we granted permission since we were going to be basically in the same room. The hot tub was right off the great room within sight and sound of her. My husband and my mom were with me cleaning up after supper when I hear a paniced, "Mommy". She kept calling. I looked into the porch and didn't see her. As I approached the stair rail next to the porch, I called downstairs thinking she had slipped out and gone to her room. As I turned around she called again and I could tell she was on the porch. I walked in to find her entrapped in the hot tub drain that pulled water to operate the shoulder jets. Her little nose and mouth were the only parts of her face out of the water.

I tried to loosen her hair. I couldn't so I cut off the jets, but the drain was still operational. My husband started looking for the breaker to cut off the hot tub from its power. I went to call 911 only to find the house phone was out of order. I dialed 911 and it wouldn't go through. I looked around as I returned to the porch to see if anyone's cell phone was lying around. My husband said he had the breaker off and I started to pull on her hair. Part of it came loose, but part of it stayed in the drain so we had to cut it with a knife. I grabbed my daughter and tried to pull some of the hair out of the drain.

She never gulped any water. She came out perfectly fine. We are both still terribly upset and she is having nightmares about it. I reported all of this to Surf or Sound on their after hours emergency number and in person the next day. Later that day when my mom was there, they came to take pictures. They said then to her that the drain only had one screw and it should have had two. They assured her they would fix it.

July 10 after having filed a CPSC report in Washington, D.C., I called Surf or Sound and talked to the manager. He told me that their pool service had checked the hot tub. He said that it was not damaged and had not been repaired because their pool vendor had said it was safe. He also pointed out that I was the first person to complain. He said that they have many hot tubs in operation just like the one that nearly drowned my daughter and they are all still in use. I am posting this in case someone else isn't as lucky later. I would be one compelling witness along with my husband and my mom. I have pictures and my daughters hair, along with all the government agencies I reported this to and the attorney who gave me the information.

I beg surf or sound to atleast acknowledge what happened. Just put something next to that drain on the shoulder jet on the left hand side and see if it sucks it in. I know that it did just that to my daughters hair, with three people as witnsses. I also ask that the hot tub breaker be labeled.in case of emergency the renters need to be able shut it off. If my daughter had been under water, we would not have been fast enough in finding it to get her out. It needs to be labeled.

I do not have a pending litigation against this company because I had no physical damage. I am posting this just as a public announcement to prevent someone else from being hurt.

Company: Surf Or Sound Realty
Country: USA
State: North Carolina
City: Avon
Address: Hwy 12
Phone: 8006161838

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