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Edina Family's Effort Contributes To Safer Pools

EDINA, Minn. (WCCO) -- A push from an Edina mother and father who lost their little girl means thousands of pools around the country will now be safer.

In 2007, 6-year old Abbey Taylor was disemboweled after sitting on a faulty drain in a kids' pool at the Minneapolis Golf Club. She died after receiving a triple organ transplant.

Abbey's father, Scott Taylor, shared how a new guideline helps to validate much of the work he and his wife have done so far to keep kids safe.

"People say, 'I can't imagine what you're going through,' and I never knew what to say for a long time. I didn't know how to respond to that and finally it dawned on me when I just said to somebody, 'and I don't want you to,'" Scott said.

Scott believes the change in the law announced Wednesday will ensure what happened to Abbey won't happen to anyone else.

Nearly 18 months ago, a law was passed requiring pools to fit their drains with special covers. However, the Taylors and other parents worried those drain covers could break or come loose.

"There was no back-up system if that cover came off, and that has been our whole point: layers of protection," Taylor said.

New rules mean pools now have to have a back-up system will shut down the suction of the drain.

It is protection that Scott believes could nave meant prevention in the case of his daughter.

"I will say, in Abbey's case, we believe this would've made a difference. She may have still been eviscerated. It could have saved her life," Taylor said. "We'll never know how many kids are saved, but we believe in our hearts that many, many have."

Bigger pools with multiple drains are not affected by the change to the law. It only affects smaller pools that have a single main drain. When you just have one drain, the suction is more intense.

Back-up systems that are now required cost anywhere from $200 to $400.

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