Darwin Award: Blind counselors taking Blind students swimming at the Beach.

Startribune.com ^ | July 21, 2003 | Tim Harlow and Lucy Y. Her

[sonserae]

The president of a Minnesota organization for the blind said Sunday that he believes a sighted person should have been present when three blind counselors took eight blind children on a swim outing at Lake Calhoun.

Brianna Joy Nelson, 7, of Grant, Mich., drowned Friday evening. She and the other students were attending a camp sponsored by Blind Inc., a Minneapolis company that helps children learn life skills from adult role models who, like them, are blind.

On Friday, the counselors -- two in their 20s and one in his 30s -- took the students swimming at the lake's north beach for about four hours. When they left the water about 7:15 p.m., they counted the children and discovered that Brianna was missing.

The counselors said they notified lifeguards, who called 911 and formed a human chain to look for Brianna. She was found 10 minutes later about 70 feet from shore. Brianna died about an hour later at Hennepin County Medical Center.

On Sunday, Ken Rodgers, president of the American Council of the Blind of Minnesota, said three blind counselors aren't enough supervision for eight blind children at a lake.

"Young children dart around so fast that even sighted people have a problem keeping track of their children," he said. "I just think it's a dangerous precedent."

[sonserae]

Wow, not only sight disabled, but common sense disabled as well.

[Abcdefg]

I bet the drive to the lake was exciting.

[sonserae]

Oh...that was bad but funny!

[laweeks]

The president of that organization who spoke against this stupid field trip better watch out . . . sounds like hate speech! I'm still trying to figure out the Braille markings at the drive-up window at our bank. What am I missing?

[flutters]

This is sad. I had a blind babysitter when I was a kid. We didn't have any problems, but she didn't take me swimming either.

[Abcdefg]

Maybe Toonces the cat was driving.

[azhenfud]

Often heard "the blind leading the blind - they both fall into the ditch". It's sad - but true....

[CygnusXI]

Being a local, I heard this on the radio (during Savage on 1280 The Patriot), and my wife and I just gawked at each other.

Unbelievable.

I believe in overcoming your shortcomings, but let's not be delusional.

[r9etb]

I bet the drive to the lake was exciting.

It's not a Darwin award when a little kid dies because of the stupidity of adults. Jokes about it are not all that funny.

But your quip does raise the inevitable question: it took somebody who could see to get those folks to the lake -- where was that person?

[bedolido]

I live in Boise Idaho. A few years ago a few workers at a special needs house for kids (mainly down's syndrome)took them swimming in a Boise river (actually a very small natural lake on the river), I can't remember how many drowned, but I know at least one died. It was very sad and very stupid.

[headsonpikes]

Hold muh White Cane Alert!

[Bikers4Bush]

Weird and sad story.

[dead]

Marco!

Polo!

[Xenalyte]

This is funnier than it should be.

[Sloth]

It would only be Darwin if an adult died.

[xrp]

His license is suspended, he shouldn't have been driving.

[narby]

I'm still trying to figure out the Braille markings at the drive-up

That's the way I feel about the handicapped parking at the Sonic Drive-ins.

It was even worse when I joked about it to one of the servers as she delivered food out to my car, and she said quite seriously, "Well! handicapped people might want to come here too!".

[finnman69]

I bet the drive to the lake was exciting.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[Corin Stormhands]

It's a sad story, brought about by some stupid actions. Stupidity, even when tragic, can have its dark humorous side.

But those keywords are disgusting.