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Justice For Michelle Gellard.

Justice For Michelle Gellard.

48 signatures 2 to reach 50
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lee L. signed
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digital c. signed
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Stuart H. signed
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Tracy B. signed
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Stephen H. signed
Started by Anonymous 15 years, 3 months ago

Please sign this petition - Justice For Michelle Gellard.   Seven-year-old Michelle Gellard was pulled unconscious from the water at Blackwater Leisure Centre on the afternoon of June 14, 2008. Michelle's death was avoidable and tragic. At the Inquest into Michelle's death in May 2011, the jury returned a verdict of accidental death. Yet In May 2010 there was a near drowning also involving a young girl at the same pool. This incident prompted the Health and Safety Executive to serve an enforcement notice under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 against the company managing Blackwater. Though Michelle's death had been deemed accidental, I feel strongly that someone must be held accountable for the failure of Leisure Connection for not providing adequate staff and medical equipment at the centre. At the time of Michelle's death there were only three life guards on duty when there should have been four. A few minutes earlier there had been only two lifeguards on duty. This and the fact that the centre did not have the correct medical equipment that might have saved Michelle is unacceptable. Please don't allow Michelle's tragic death to be in vain.  Sign the petition to stop this ever happening again. On another occasion it might be your child.

Updates

June 23, 2011

I am still reading each of your comments and they remind me why I cannot stop fighting for the truth about what happened to Michelle. My meetings with local officials remain ongoing as I push for the accountability that was denied to our family for far too long.

June 23, 2011

Seeing this momentum grow brings me back to the day we lost Michelle and reminds me that I am truly not fighting this battle alone. The sheer number of people demanding accountability gives me hope that we can finally force the changes needed to prevent this tragedy from repeating.

6 Comments

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Claire Harvey
15 years ago Featured

I take my kids swimming all the time and this is my worst nightmare. RIP beautiful girl.

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mark Afolabi
15 years ago Featured

3 lifeguards instead of 4 is completely negligent. Leisure centers should be safe places for kids not death traps. Justice for Michelle.

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Sarah Osei
15 years ago Featured

Heartbreaking. Its not fair that a family has to go through this because of corner cutting. Someone needs to answer for this neglect

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emma Greer
15 years ago Featured

Cant believe they let this happen. Poor girl. Sending so much love to her family during this awful time.

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Paul Atkinson
15 years ago Featured

NEVER AGAIN!! Fix the safety rules now so no other parents lose their little ones like this.

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David Castillo
15 years ago Featured

Disgusting to hear about the lack of equipment and staff. They had a warning before this happened and still did nothing. Unforgivable.

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