The drowning death of a City of Miami Beach employee has sent ripples through the community, as his family pleads for transparency and the city seeks to clean house at the recreation center where the tragedy struck.
The city confirmed today that a seasonal lifeguard at the Scott Rakow Youth Center has been fired, while another lifeguard and a recreation leader have been suspended following the drowning death last month of summer camp coach Peniel Janvier.
On Friday morning, the Janvier family held a press conference with their attorneys outside the youth center, where they called for the immediate release of security footage they hope will shed light on the moments leading up to the incident and help to explain why Janvier wasn’t t pulled from the pool more quickly.
Peniel, who was 28 years old, was a part-time recreation leader and sports coach at the center. On August 16, he was celebrating the final day of summer camp at a pool party when he somehow ended up underwater and in distress for an as-yet undetermined amount of time.
“The last thing he said to me was: ‘It’s the last day of summer camp. I have to be there with the kids. I’ll see you later,'” Peniel’s mother, Nicole Janvier, tells New Times.
Peniel was pulled from the pool and the Miami Beach Police Department (MBPD) was called around 2:30 pm He was rushed to Mt. Sinai Hospital, where he was placed on a ventilator and underwent a CAT scan. According to Janvier family attorney Marc Brumer, a neurologist at the hospital said Peniel was brain dead — an indication that he had been underwater for an extended period.
Brumer and the Janviers tell New Times that city officials did not visit the family during the nine days Peniel was on life support before his death on August 26.
“We were there sleeping in the hospital every night, and no one came,” Lucmanne Janvier, Peniel’s father, says.
Miami Beach spokesperson Melissa Berthier tells New Times that further information, including the names of the employees suspended or fired, has not yet been disclosed, as the incident remains under review by the MBPD.
Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber released a statement saying he expects to release all information to the Janvier family once a thorough investigation has been completed.
“While the matter is under investigation, nothing can change the fact that PJ was very much beloved by those who worked with him and knew him. It’s a great loss obviously to his family and our City,” Gelber wrote. “It is my expectation that after a full review all the facts will be shared with the community and PJ’s family.”
MBPD has said it is investigating the circumstances of Peniel’s death, but the Janvier family’s attorneys say they want the city to be more forthcoming and hand over the video sooner rather than later.
It remains unclear whether Peniel was pushed into the pool, and why lifeguards didn’t immediately see him in distress. In an incident report, MBPD stated there was no evidence of foul play.
“It’s been two weeks. It’s Labor Day weekend and this family has been through enough pain and suffering,” Brumer said at the Friday press conference. “If anyone knows what happened, please let us know.”
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