Jazmin Jefferson was a 21-year-old, fifth-generation Washingtonian who had been employed as a lifeguard at pools in the District for the three years since she’d graduated from the city’s School Without Walls.
“She was always willing to put other people first and to make sure that other people are comfortable and taken good care of,” Jazmin’s father, Julius Jefferson, told WTOP. “So, she certainly was a lifeguard at heart — saving lives and making lives better.”
Life for the Jefferson family was indelibly changed on Nov. 29, when Jazmin fell into the pool at the Roosevelt Aquatic Center in Northwest, where she worked, while suffering a cardiac arrest.
Jazmin died on Dec. 23, having been in a coma since her fall.
D.C.’s Parks and Recreation department said the facility was “fully staffed” at the time, and that no swimmers were present — but Jazmin’s father, Julius Jefferson, questions whether having only two additional pool workers there with Jazmin on the day of her fall was enough.
Safety and numbers
As first reported by The Washington Informer, Jazmin’s death has raised questions about staffing protocols within the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation.
Jazmin had a cardiac arrest and fell into the water where she remained for seven minutes with two other employees on site, Jefferson said.
He said that at the time of Jazmin’s fall, one employee was working the pump in the basement, and another employee was sitting at the desk in front of a monitor where that employee could see the lifeguard in the pool area.
“I can’t fathom my daughter being underwater for seven minutes,” Jefferson said. “That’s really what took her life. Even though they were able to revive her body, she had an anoxic brain injury. Most of her brain functions were lost from being underwater for seven minutes.”
Jefferson said that if Jazmin were still alive, she might say “I told you so,” referring to the fact that no one was there to help her for so long after falling underwater.
“She would say there’s a gross mismanagement of lifeguards,” Jefferson said, adding that Jazmin often spoke of this mismanagement within the DPR.
Jefferson believes it is up to the mayor to ensure that within the various departments of the District’s government, including the DPR, the culture is up to par and staff is adequately trained.
“The mayor is responsible for the type of culture we have within the District government to provide services,” Jefferson said. “The mayor is responsible for making sure that people are trained and hired.”
He added that although he has spoken with his council person, Janeese Lewis George, he has not heard from Mayor Muriel Bowser.
Jefferson said that he wants D.C. residents to be very careful when utilizing DPR facilities, especially pools.
“I think their safety is in jeopardy,” he said.
In response to DPR’s claim that the pool was adequately staffed on the day Jazmin fell, Jefferson said that it wasn’t properly staffed “for safety of employees.”
As Jefferson continues to seek answers, he wants his daughter to be remembered as “a beautiful young lady who loved to help people.”
“I’m hoping and I’m coping and I’m adjusting,” Jefferson said. “That means I’m hoping for brighter days, I’m coping with the loss of my daughter, and I’m adjusting to my daughter no longer being in my life.”
WTOP’s Matt Small contributed to this report.
