MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Gerald Crawford lives right around the corner from the city pool on S. Orleans Street where 13-year-old Cedric Walton died in July.
“Since you all came out last time, I haven’t seen anyone talking about that pool,” he told WREG.
Internet service for the security cameras was down at the time when Walton hopped the fence while the pool was closed and drowned.
The company the city uses to monitor the pools, Delta Security, told WREG it notified the city, but nothing was done.
“The city administration, the Wharton administration, knew prior to the death that the Internet was down. It’s shown no accountability,” city councilman and mayoral candidate Jim Strickland said.
Mayor A C Wharton did not respond to repeated requests for an interview.
He previously told WREG that Delta Security notified the Internet provider, AT&T, not the city. Delta Security said that was not true.
Meanwhile, Strickland and Crawford just want action.
“I was hoping since that little boy died, they’d make a difference,” Crawford said. “But they haven’t made a difference. It’s the same old, same old.”
Strickland said every pool security camera should be backed up with upgraded technology.
“There is other technology out there that can be used as backup,” he said. “I don’t think it would be that expensive. So, we ought to implement that at all these swimming pools.”
Crawford said if the city is not going to work to improve things after such a horrible tragedy, he would rather have no pool at all.
“It should be closed down next summer until they do something better with it.”
