SwimRVA granted exemption to continue unlicensed summer camps after 9-year-old's drowning death

SwimRVA has been granted an exemption by the Virginia Department of Education to continue summer camp operations without a state license — weeks after a nine-year-old drowned at one of its camps.

King Overton drowned during a summer camp at SwimRVA's North location in Henrico on June 15. Following his death, the VDOE determined SwimRVA was operating an unlicensed child day program and said its summer camps did not qualify for the licensing exemption the nonprofit claimed applied.

The agency ordered SwimRVA to submit a compliance plan by July 27 and either come into full compliance, qualify for an exemption, or cease operations by Aug. 14.

SwimRVA then made changes to its camps to try to qualify for an exemption. The nonprofit submitted a plan of compliance detailing changes it would make immediately to bring its summer camps into compliance with state rules.

Since those changes, the state determined the summer camps are exempt from state licensure.

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