Three-Year-Old Girl Survives Horrific Pool Drain Accident That Ripped Out Intestines
A three-year-old girl has miraculously survived a terrifying freak accident involving a pool drain that ripped out her small intestine during a family vacation in Mexico. The shocking incident occurred just days before Paloma Quatrini was set to celebrate her fourth birthday in February 2025 at the Punta Mita Resort in Nayarit, Mexico.
The Terrifying Incident
According to legal documents, the protective covering of the drain in the resort's kiddie pool malfunctioned, creating a powerful suction force. Paloma was sitting in the shallow end of the pool when she was suddenly pulled toward the drain. Her parents, Carolina Velez and Adam Quatrini, desperately tried to free their daughter, but the suction was too strong to overcome.
After approximately two agonizing minutes, someone finally located an emergency off switch for the pump system underneath the pool. The suction stopped, but the damage had already been done. The complaint states that "the suction was so strong that [her] small intestine was ripped out of her body," and she suffered additional severe internal injuries.
Medical Journey and Ongoing Treatment
Paloma, now five years old, was immediately rushed to medical care and eventually transported by air ambulance to the Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh, where her family resides. Over several months, she underwent dozens of life-saving surgeries, including a complex procedure to reconstruct her digestive system.
Dr. Geoffrey Bond explained to CBS News the extent of the damage: "All of the small bowel was gone. We brought the colon up and joined the colon to the small bowel, so essentially she's connected, but she has no small bowel."
Paloma's parents now connect a specialized line into her body every night for twelve hours to deliver nutrients directly into her bloodstream. Medical professionals have indicated she may eventually require an internal organ transplant to fully restore her digestive function.
Legal Battle Against Equipment Manufacturer
The family has filed a lawsuit against Hayward, the company that manufactured the pool draining system involved in the accident. Initially, Carolina Velez and Adam Quatrini filed a complaint in Pittsburgh in July that named several defendants including the resort, but that case was later withdrawn according to People Magazine.
Hayward filed a motion to dismiss the original case, arguing they weren't responsible because the incident occurred in Mexico. The family has since refiled the lawsuit with Hayward as the sole defendant, again in Pittsburgh because most witnesses reside in that area.
Family attorney Robert Zimmerman stated to People Magazine: "A 3-year-old girl should not have to litigate her case in a foreign country where she was almost killed. The last thing these parents want to do is go back to Mexico, where this horrific incident occurred."
The case highlights serious concerns about pool safety equipment and the legal complexities surrounding international incidents involving multinational corporations.
