Child's Injury Raises Questions About Rec Center Oversight

A Georgia mother is upset after she says her child was injured while playing on faulty equipment at a county recreation center. 

Hilary Logan’s 11 year-old son J.J. was playing near a foam pit at the Tucker Recreation Center in DeKalb County when he fell into the foam pit and bumped his head. 

According to Logan, rec center employees were not concerned about the incident and did not alert her about J.J.’s injury, rather it was other parents who called her to let her know that her son had been hurt.

The EMS eventually came, but only after Logan demanded that staff at the rec center call them, she said. 

Once she arrived at the scene, Logan took pictures of the foam pit where her son was playing and sent them to local news station 11Alive. 

According to Logan, “The foam in the pit was extremely low to me. When was the last time this facility has been evaluated?”

11Alive looked into how rec centers in the area were being regulated and found that there is no state agency that oversees regulation, rather it is completely up to the county where the rec center is located. 

DeKalb County Commisioner Nancy Jester says it’s time that the county looks into policies surrounding rec centers.

“I am going to ask questions about policy,” Jester said. "What policies are in place? Were they followed? Did we have a policy about distracted supervision because there have been discussion about that. Do we have a policy regarding the number of folks that should be there supervising children?"

According to Jester, at least two other concerned parents have gotten in touch with her office about the rec center regulations, and she says she is ready to propose stronger policies for regulation and supervision at rec centers if necessary. 

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