Drownings put spotlight on children's safety

THE BODIES OF TWO 8-YEAR-OLD TWINS were found one after the other in the sea in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province, on Monday, 24 hours after their mother reported their loss when they were playing on a beach, where swimming is forbidden. ThePaper.cn comments:

The woman said the last time she saw her twins was when they were playing with other children on the beach not far from her, but when she looked up from the screen after posting some photos on social media, the twins were no longer there.

The police officer who found the two bodies said the two girls probably drowned after being caught in the offshore currents, without being noticed by anyone on the beach or those swimming in the sea.

The mother bears responsibility for not keeping an eye on her children and letting them swim where it is forbidden. But the netizens have no right to organize a witch hunt and harass the mother and the family.

It is noteworthy that with the hot weather and school holidays and the appeal of playing in water, dozens of kids drowned nationwide last month.

This tragedy should be a reminder to all parents: You think that children are safely playing at the water's edge, but don't realize that they are having fun so close to death.

And it is not just water, several children have died after being left in automobiles this summer, and at least four children have been electrocuted while playing in fountains because of electricity leaks. And traffic remains a major threat to children's safety, especially when parents and drivers are preoccupied with their phones.

It can take just seconds for a tragedy to unfold, less time than it takes to post a message or photo to a circle of friends. It is the responsibility of all adult members of society to act as guardians. Adults must keep a watchful eye on children, especially when they are playing in or near water or roads.

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