Tragedy Strikes: 2 Young Lives Lost in Heartbreaking Pool Accident at San Jose Day Care

San Jose police investigate the deaths of two children after they were found in the backyard pool of the Happy Happy Home Daycare.Photo byDai Sugano/Bay Area News Group

In a heart-wrenching incident on a Monday morning, two children tragically lost their lives, while another was seriously injured at a residential daycare center in San Jose's Almaden neighborhood. Authorities have confirmed the devastating event.

Early on Monday morning, local police officers joined forces with San Jose fire rescuers for a welfare check at the 1000 block of Fleetwood Drive around 9:05 a.m. The distressing news reached them that minors had fallen into a swimming pool. Swiftly, medical personnel rushed to the scene and transported all three children to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

Despite the efforts, two of the children succumbed to their injuries and were pronounced dead at the hospital, as revealed by the police. On a somewhat hopeful note, the third child was expected to survive. However, the authorities have not disclosed any details regarding the ages or identities of the children involved.

In the aftermath of this tragic incident, the police have committed to a thorough investigation, pledging to maintain a presence at the scene for an extended period. Notably, the department's homicide unit will collaborate closely with the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office, following established county protocols for child deaths.

CloverHill Drive is taped off near Fleetwood Drive as San Jose police investigate the deaths of two children who drowned in the daycare poolPhoto byDai Sugano/Bay Area News Group

Happy Happy Home Daycare, located on the 1000 block of Fleetwood Drive according to online records, operates under a license issued by the California Department of Social Services as a small family child care home. This license permits the facility to care for a maximum of eight children concurrently.

During a recent inspection last month, state licensing analysts identified non-compliance issues with the facility's licensees, Shahin Shenas and Nina Fathizadeh. They had failed to adhere to the requirement of documenting checks every 15 minutes on sleeping children under their care, resulting in a citation. The citation mandated that the licensees demonstrate future compliance with these regulations.

In a previous inspection conducted in January, state officials acknowledged that the daycare's pool adhered to all necessary requirements for such facilities. They noted that the pool is enclosed by a five-foot tall fence, which remains visible due to its 'hard mesh' material, equipped with a self-closing and self-latching gate, as detailed in the inspection report.

However, other compliance issues arose during this visit. The daycare was cited for multiple violations, including exceeding the allowed number of infants in care (five instead of the permitted four). State records indicate that the daycare's operators promptly addressed these issues in the days and weeks that followed.

The pool area had been a point of contention during the daycare's licensing process in late 2020, according to state records. Regulators had requested adjustments to the pool's fence and addressed gaps in the fencing. The owners diligently complied with these requirements, resulting in the approval of the daycare's license in early 2021, as confirmed by the records.