Grieving mother calls for added safety measures at Ontario beach after drowning death of son

A woman whose son died last month while at a Penetanguishene, Ont. beach with another family member wants to see safety increased at the beach.

Melissa Coombs' 12-year-old son Isaac was swimming alongside his younger brother at Huronia Park on September 15 when he went out of sight while under the supervision of a paternal family member.

• RELATED | Body of 12-year-old missing boy recovered from Georgian Bay

Police were called and responded in four minutes and began searching the shoreline.

Eventually, the OPP's Under Water Search and Recovery Unit was called and found Isaac's body later that evening.

"He's autistic. He can't swim," Melissa Coombs told CTV News on Friday. "There was nothing done to prevent the tragedy that day."

Coombs said officers found her son at a depth of 12 feet and that there was a significant drop-off.

In an interview with police on September 16, the OPP confirmed the water gets "subsequently deep" when progressing from shore.

"I think there should be signage saying there's a sudden drop-off to warn children not to go very far," said Coombs.

• Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
• Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox

Swimming buoys are also not in the water, which Coombs said is something the Town should add for safety.

At the time that Isaac drowned, a lifebuoy ring used for rescuing people in distress was not seen. Camera footage indicated that it had not been replaced when CTV News attended the scene the following day.

On Friday, however, a lifebuoy was put in place.

"In response to this tragic event, we want to assure the community that we are closely collaborating with the Southern Georgian Bay detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police to fully understand the circumstances that gave rise to this drowning," reads a statement from the Town of Penetanguishene.

It continued, "This unfortunate incident serves as a sobering reminder of the need to exercise extreme caution around water. Please be mindful of conditions and always prioritize safety when enjoying water activities. We recognize the importance of safeguarding our community and are taking steps to assess our protocols. The Town is committed to thoroughly reviewing our internal policies and practices related to water safety."

OPP have not laid charges in Isaac's death, but his mother said she wants police to continue the investigation.