Virginia has no swim camp ratio or instructor rules. A 9-year-old's drowning is raising questions.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has determined that 9-year-old King Overton died by accidental drowning at SwimRVA-North on North Wilkinson Road, ruling out speculation that a medical emergency may have contributed to his death.
Henrico Police and Commonwealth's Attorney Shannon Taylor both said the investigation into King's death is ongoing and did not have any updates to share.
An investigation into state oversight of swim camps and swim schools in Virginia revealed significant gaps in regulation.
Virginia's Department of Social Services said it does not have any regulatory authority over SwimRVA or their camps or schools, and said that authority lies with the Virginia Department of Education.
The Virginia Department of Education said it has initiated an investigation into the situation. However, a spokesperson said SwimRVA is not a licensed program and therefore does not have to follow any state-mandated ratios or staff qualification standards for swimming instructors. VDOE added that Virginia does not have specific requirements related to ratios and instructor certifications for summer swim camps.
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