Mothers Warns of Danger of Water
Thursday, 20th February 2003.
A MOTHER whose young son drowned in a neighbour's pond has urged parents to be more aware of the dangers of water.
Alison Creaser was reminded of the dreadful day she lost her 20-month-old son Jonjo after reading a story in Tuesday's News about the death of Emily Wilkinson.
Emily, who was a similar age to Jonjo, fell in a pond in Great Bradley, near Haverhill.
"My heart goes out to the parents of that little girl. It's awful," said Mrs Creaser.
Jonjo died in June 1997 after wandering into a neighbour's garden in Cam Causeway, Cambridge, where Mrs Creaser and her family lived at the time. Attempts were made to resuscitate him and he was rushed to Addenbrooke's Hospital and placed on a ventilator. However, he died there 15 days later in his sister Kelly's arms.
Alison, 36, said: "I was devastated. He was an amazing little boy. It was so awful. I still talk about him all the time."
She said she wants to alert parents and children to the dangers water holds for youngsters.
Mrs Creaser now lives in Teasel Drive, Ely, with husband Darren, 35, son Shane, 16, and daughters Kelly, 15, and Toni, four. Toni was named after the man that tried to resuscitate Jonjo.
Alison said she is even more protective of Toni, who is a pupil at St John's Primary School, because of what happened to her son.
She said: "Toni knows about ponds, she's been brought up from an early age knowing the dangers."
Shane, a general assistant at Tesco, in Angel Drove, said: "We want to get the point across that ponds should be covered up, fenced round or got rid of."
Mrs Creaser said: "If I see a pond now that's not covered it makes me feel sick."
She urged people not to "put water anywhere near where children are" and said: "Children are so inquisitive and they love water. My Jonjo loved water.
"It's coming up to summer again and children will be out and about around water. People should just be so careful and not let their children out of their sights for a minute. Make it as safe as you can because children are so precious."
She added: "If I can save one child's life by making people aware then Jonjo did not die in vain
Alison Creaser was reminded of the dreadful day she lost her 20-month-old son Jonjo after reading a story in Tuesday's News about the death of Emily Wilkinson.
Emily, who was a similar age to Jonjo, fell in a pond in Great Bradley, near Haverhill.
"My heart goes out to the parents of that little girl. It's awful," said Mrs Creaser.
Jonjo died in June 1997 after wandering into a neighbour's garden in Cam Causeway, Cambridge, where Mrs Creaser and her family lived at the time. Attempts were made to resuscitate him and he was rushed to Addenbrooke's Hospital and placed on a ventilator. However, he died there 15 days later in his sister Kelly's arms.
Alison, 36, said: "I was devastated. He was an amazing little boy. It was so awful. I still talk about him all the time."
She said she wants to alert parents and children to the dangers water holds for youngsters.
Mrs Creaser now lives in Teasel Drive, Ely, with husband Darren, 35, son Shane, 16, and daughters Kelly, 15, and Toni, four. Toni was named after the man that tried to resuscitate Jonjo.
Alison said she is even more protective of Toni, who is a pupil at St John's Primary School, because of what happened to her son.
She said: "Toni knows about ponds, she's been brought up from an early age knowing the dangers."
Shane, a general assistant at Tesco, in Angel Drove, said: "We want to get the point across that ponds should be covered up, fenced round or got rid of."
Mrs Creaser said: "If I see a pond now that's not covered it makes me feel sick."
She urged people not to "put water anywhere near where children are" and said: "Children are so inquisitive and they love water. My Jonjo loved water.
"It's coming up to summer again and children will be out and about around water. People should just be so careful and not let their children out of their sights for a minute. Make it as safe as you can because children are so precious."
She added: "If I can save one child's life by making people aware then Jonjo did not die in vain
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