Lifeguard Allegedly on Phone When Child Drowned

Israeli authorities have charged a 27-year-old woman with wrongful death by negligence following the 2015 drowning death of a six-year-old girl.

The woman, who is not identified in an Israel National News report, was working as a lifeguard at a hotel in Jerusalem when the girl drowned on her watch. According to an indictment, the lifeguard was distracted with her cellphone at the time of the incident.

"A swimmer who was in the pool at the time spotted the girl in distress and pulled her from the water. At this point the lifeguard finally left her station, ran over to the girl who had drowned, and attempted to resuscitate her," the Israel National News reports.

The girl was unconscious and in critical condition with no vital signs. She died one month later.

Authorities also say the suspect failed to carry out routine inspections of the pool. Instead she sat at her station throughout her shift and "failed to even stand up ... to give her a proper view of the entire swimming area," according to the Israel National News.