Jan. 08--The family of a 4-year-old boy who drowned at a St. Charles country club more than six months ago have filed suit against the club, alleging it violated state law by failing to have mandatory first-aid equipment and poorly maintaining the pool facility.
Paul Delle Grazie, father of Paulino Delle Grazie, who died June 14, filed the suit against Royal Fox Country Club in Kane County court Dec. 31.
Country club officials did not return calls seeking comment. The club is located at 4405 Royal and Ancient Drives.
The lawsuit states Paulino arrived at the outdoor pool area between 2 and 3 p.m. that day with his mother, Gianna, and his sister. At the time, there was one lifeguard watching the pool from an elevated lifeguard stand at the pool's shallow end, according to the lawsuit. There was a second elevated lifeguard stand at the pool's deep end that was unoccupied, the lawsuit states.
As the lifeguard was leaving her shift at 3 p.m., Paulino went to use the water slide at the deep end of the pool. After 3 p.m., Paulino was discovered at the bottom of the pool by another child, according to the lawsuit.
The mother of another child using the pool dove in to pull Paulino out, and another guest, a physician, administered CPR, according to the suit.
The physician then asked a lifeguard for an automated external defibrillator, which the country club didn't have available, the suit alleges. Paulino was transported to Delnor Hospital in Geneva, where he was pronounced dead.
A Kane County coroner's office autopsy confirmed Paulino died of drowning. He was one of four children who drowned in the Chicago area during the weekend of June 14.
"The Royal Fox Country Club had the duty to ensure patron safety and protect the lives of pool users," the lawsuit states. "They had a duty to recognize and respond quickly and effectively to all emergencies."
The suit asserts the country club violated several laws related to having appropriate resuscitation equipment available and lifeguards stationed near a water slide, the suit said. The club did not provide life vests or flotation devices for children using the pool area, according to the suit.
The lawsuit alleges the country club failed to properly supervise and train lifeguards and did not have a pool manager on duty at the time of the drowning.
