Incident Overview
A tragic incident has unfolded at a Disney World area resort, where a five-year-old autistic boy drowned after wandering away from his family. Identified only as Ashton, the child visited the Westgate Town Center Resort before the incident.
The drowning occurred on a Friday morning, around 10 a.m., while Ashton’s family was preparing to visit the Central Florida theme parks. At the time of the incident, reports indicated that Ashton had strayed from the supervision of his family and fell into a pond on the resort premises.
Emergency services responded promptly to the scene after deputies were alerted about the drowning. Upon arrival, first responders found a bystander performing CPR. Unfortunately, despite these efforts, Ashton was declared dead at the site. The Osceola County ShSheriff’sffice has ruled the incident as an accident, deepening the mourning the child’s family and community felt.
Family’s Perspective
In the wake of this tragedy, Ashton’s mother, Lyonetta Taylor, expressed her devastation to local media. She described the profound loss, saying, ” Everything about my son, I’m to miss.” Taylor particularly highlighted the challenges faced by her nonverbal autistic son, stating that he would have been unable to call for help in his moment of need. She noted, “If there were a gate around the pond, Ashton would have gotten in,” asking for better safety measures to prevent similar tragedies.
Taylor’s testimony underscores her frustrations regarding the lack of fencing around the bodies of water. She has called for the Westgate Town Center Resort to implement substantial safety measures to protect future guests, particularly vulnerable children. Her demands include installing gates and having lifeguards present around the water features.
The situation was compounded by Ashton’s autism, which rendered him nonverbal and less capable of seeking assistance. Taylor emphasized the specific vulnerabilities that autistic children face, imploring resorts and similar establishments to reevaluate their safety with these considerations in mind.
Resort Features and Concerns
The Westgate Town Center Resort is a sprawling facility two miles south of Disney’s Animal Kingdom and seven miles from the main Walt Disney World Resort. The complex boasts multiple amenities, including a water park and dining options. However, it also features several small lakes and ponds, increasing the potential risk of drowning incidents.
According to the resort’s representatives, CPR-trained personnel are always available onsite. Nonetheless, some critics argue that these measures are inadequate in preventing tragedies involving young children. The presence of such staff does not replace the need for physical barriers that could effectively prevent access to dangerous areas without fencing.
Following the incident, Taylor and other advocates are pushing for enhanced security measures at the resort. Their demands include fences around water areas and a comprehensive review of safety protocols that would ensure family-friendly designs. Taylor’s requests resonate with her personal loss and the collective responsibility to safeguard all guests, particularly children.
Industry Implications
This unfortunate event reveals broader implications for the hospitality and tourism sectors, especially in family-oriented destinations near the Disney World area. As tragic drowning incidents raise alarms in the industry, the standards for safety and security are expected to be reevaluated across various reevaluate.
Resorts may be compelled to adopt stricter safety policies to mitigate risks associated with their amenities. These could include mandatory fencing around pools and ponds, regular safety drills, and employing more lifeguards, especially in high-traffic areas.
The incident raises crucial questions about the importance of family-friendly designs in recreational spaces. Resorts are urged to prioritize safety features that account for the needs of all families, particularly those with children who may require additional supervision or protection. Addressing these concerns can help prevent future tragedies while promoting an environment where parents can feel secure about their children’s safety.
The drowning of the autistic boy at the Disney World area resort has sparked significant discourse surrounding child safety measures at family-friendly establishments. The incident has led to calls for reforms that prioritize the well-being of young guests, particularly in settings where water features are present.
This article has so many mistakes, it’s difficult to read!
I see more and blame cast on facilities while parents continue to go about their activities and not attending to their young ones.
I’m with you here, I feel for these people for their loss but you somehow allow your nonverbal autistic child to wander off in Disney areas? While we are at it why don’t we forget fences and just force Parks to eliminate ponds and pools so nothing will happen SMH
Where are the parents? Don’t see it is the parks fault at all. If you can’t watch your kids don’t have kids!
Parents have to take responsibility for not watching their child at all times…..it’s not on the resort to keep track of the child ….it’s the families….it ridiculous to blame others when the family should have been taking care of him!!!!
Agree
This is terrible; however, parents really need to step up and not point blame when children are not properly monitored. Anywhere you go, and especially around these hotels and resorts there are ponds, pools and other various bodies of water. Who in their right mind suggests (as the title implies “Lack of Fencing Contributes….) every body of water should be fenced off to keep unaccompanied wandering children out? What’s next – do we need to put fences up to prevent them from wandering into the streets in front of traffic? Parents really need to take care of their kids, and I say that from plenty of experience of watching my own and those of family members and other groups I have been responsible for and now watch grandchildren, They get into everything very quickly. Also – How far off of Disney property does one need to be in order to not implicate Disney in this tragedy? Y’all seem to thrive on bashing or blaming Disney for every bad thing that happens in central Florida.
I am a mother of an autistic son. It is MY responsibility to keep an eye on my son at all times. She has no right to demand anything of anybody. Her lack of parenting caused his death not Westgate. We have stayed at this resort more than 5 times. Every single mile of Florida has ponds. Most of them have alligators. Visitors need to be responsible for their own actions. The mother should have been tested for drug use. Many tourists from Georgia come here and smoke weed endlessly and act as if this is not a place where laws apply.
I’m sorry, but how does your lack of attention to your non-verbal autistic child constitute fault of the resort?
While I feel for their loss, it is their JOB as a parent to make sure their child are safe, and that is increased a thousand fold if that child has other needs to consider.
I also have a child on the spectrum, however he is verbally. However when at Disney I never lost TOUCH (literally) with him due to his diagnosis. If needed then hire a constant companion for your child to stay by his side. You can’t always pass the buck. My sympathies. These kids can be quite the challenge.
Parents should have been watching kid. Now they sue disney. Then make another kid. Not Disney’s fault.
You cannot blame Disney when it didn’t even happen on Disney property. Westgage is NOT on Disney property or owned by Disney. This is a poorly written rage bait article. I am sorry for that family’s loss, but Disney has no blame in this situation.