Cooper Onyett: Mother’s heartbreaking statement as Victorian Education Department and pool operator are fined

A mother who sent her son to his first school camp was left with just a lock of hair after he drowned in a community swimming pool.

Cooper Onyett, eight, drowned at the Belfast Aquatics Community Pool and Fitness Center in Port Fairy, Victoria, in May 2021.

The Victorian Education Department and the pool’s management have since pleaded guilty to breaching occupational health and safety laws by failing to do everything they could to ensure Cooper’s safety.

During sentencing in the Warrnambool County Court on Friday, a heartbreaking victim impact statement written by Cooper’s mother, Skye Meinen, was read out by Judge Claire Quin.

“I was allowed to comb his hair as he pleased, and took one last look at my last baby before kissing his forehead,” Judge Quin read in a shaking voice, The Age reported.

Cooper drowned at the Belfast Aquatics Community Pool and Fitness Center in Port Fairy, Victoria, and Judge Claire Quin found health and safety legislation had been breached

“At the end of the day, we came home alone with a lock of his hair, some feet and handprints, his bag of things we had sent with us, and a lot of torment and emptiness.”

Judge Quin fined the Education Department $100,000 for its ‘serious’ breach of workplace safety laws, while Belfast Aquatics management was fined $80,000.

The judge ruled that the department had failed to pass on information about Cooper’s swimming skills that his mother had provided on the school’s consent form.

Parents were sent consent forms and medical forms before the trip and Ms Meinen stated that Cooper was a beginner with little or no swimming experience.

However, Merrivale Primary School never passed on information about students’ swimming skills to the pool before sending 28 young students there.

Judge Quin said The education department has expressed regret over the incident, while a policy has now been introduced to ensure that information provided by parents on consent slips is passed on to family members.

‘Failure to provide the information to [the pool staff] in this case there was a serious breach,” she told the court.

“The department’s admission of guilt is an indication of remorse…” [and] of sincere condolences and recognition of the enormous impact on Cooper’s family and friends, the school and the local community at large.”

Victoria’s education department was fined $100,000 and the pool’s management was fined $80,000 on Friday for breaching occupational health and safety laws

Mrs Meinen said she was only able to take her son’s backpack, hand and footprints and a lock of his hair home after their final farewell

Cooper was one of several children identified as weak swimmers at the camp and was spotted outside the shallow area several times by staff who asked him to return to it.

Another swimmer who was with her daughter later saw the boy floating underwater and initially thought he was holding his breath before realizing something was wrong.

Cooper died after attempts to revive him at the pool failed.

Since Cooper drowned, the Education Department now requires schools to assess students’ swimming skills before conducting the water activity.

‘I was told that parents can now be confident that the information they provide to the school about their child’s swimming ability is provided to the relevant party involved in the swimming activity. [and] that there have also been broader improvements to guidance and resources overall,” Judge Quin said.

“Regarding this breach, the issue has been fully addressed.”

Belfast Aquatics Community Pool and Fitness Center is pictured