‘Why did it take so long’: Scott family mourns over 4-year-old’s death
WAYNESBORO, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The Burke County Sheriff’s Office says swim instructor, Lexie Tenhuisen was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of 4-year-old Izzy Scott.
She has since been released on a 10,000 dollar bond. But Scott’s family is now speaking out about this step closer to justice.
We sat down with them to find out how they’re trying to move forward with this latest development in the case.
It’s been 7 months since Scott drowned on his second day of swim lessons.
And it’s been 3 weeks since an arrest warrant was issued for the swim instructor, Tenhuisen.
After the warrant was issued, Scott’s parents told us they were relieved there was accountability.
Now Tenhuisen is out on bond and they feel like more should’ve been done.
From Facebook pleas, messages to the DA’s office, and check-ins with the GBI, Tenhuisen was arrested for the drowning death of Scott on his second day of swim lessons.
Walter and Dori Scott, Izzy’s parents, say, “My reaction was why did it take so long?”
She’s charged with involuntary manslaughter, a misdemeanor in Georgia.
The maximum sentence is 12 months behind bars and a $1,000 fine.
“No, of course, I don’t feel like that’s enough. When all of this first happened over the summer, the sheriff’s office released a 22-page report of witness interviews and information,” Dori says she still doesn’t fully know what happened.
“Still I’m sitting here wondering what happened that day at swim lessons. All I know is he drowned. I don’t know how, how long he was underwater, I don’t know what she was doing,” Dori says.
In that report, a child in the class references ‘a child coughing’ who ‘got onto the concrete once out of the pool.’
The family remembered Scott telling them he swallowed a lot of water the first day.
EARLIER COVERAGE:
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- Parents, attorney open up about 4-year-old’s drowning death
- Burke County Sheriff’s Office releases report on child’s drowning
The report reads, Dori told investigators he didn’t want to go to lessons that morning, even asking her, ‘what if I drown?’
Dori says the instructor never told her about that happening on the first day.
“Had I known he took in too much water the first day, yeah, he wouldn’t have been back,” Dori says.
The Scotts feel this is a band-aid is being put over the case.
Walter and Dori Scott say, “We think there’s more to it and We will just pray that it comes out because we’ll be fighting.”
We asked the Scotts about any legislation being proposed in honor of their son.
They say there are some things in the works, but they can’t discuss them right now.
The Izzy Scott Foundation is set to kick off this summer when swim lessons pick back up.
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