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Parents Who Lost Children in Pool Drowning Accidents Warn Of Dangers

FULLERTON (CBSLA.com) — Summertime means fun at the beach and pool, but two families who lost children in drowning accidents are speaking out to warn other parents.

Little Jasper St. Clair drowned in Orange County when he was 21 months old. Nick Nelson's parents didn't know their kindergartener was unsupervised at a San Diego pool. Father's day will be the seventh anniversary of his death.

"I never thought it would happen to us. I didn't think it was going to happen to us," said Nick's mother Carol Nelson. "I never thought of him going to the pool next door or I would have told him 'don't go next door.' "

The hot weekend is almost here. Summer has unofficially begun for countless kids. And that is why Nicky and Jasper's families picked Friday to share their greatest heartache, hoping it will save someone's child.

"There's always a risk of drowning in our lives," said Jasper's mother Julie Lopiccolo. "And we need to find out where it is. For us it was at our babysitter's home which we didn't know he was going to be at but he was."

The foundation started by Jasper's mother and father advocates swimming lessons for babies as early as four months old, multiple barriers around pools and education for babysitters, grandparents and parents to keep your eyes on the water with zero distractions.

A bill introduced by a senator in Fullerton could change the 20-year-old Pool Safety Act. What he is advocating is that there be not one, but two safety devices around pools and spas to help prevent drownings.

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