Cop’s teen son drowns in pool

A TEENAGED son of a policeman has drowned.  Adrian Sylvester, 19, the younger son of Ag Inspector Glenn Sylvester, drowned during a public poolside fete at Petrotrin’s Beach Camp Sporting Club facilities at Santa Flora early yesterday morning. Ag Inspector Sylvester is the third policeman to have lost his son by drowning within the last three months. On August 4, Dwight Alvarez, the 17-year-old son of police corporal Matthew Alvarez drowned at Petrotrin Staff Club Pool at Pointe-a-Pierre. In June, Govindra Singh, 16, son of PC Jaglal Singh, drowned while bathing in a river at Woodland, La Romaine. Ag Insp Sylvester told Sunday Newsday from his home at Pepper Village, Fyzabad, that he did not even know that Adrian was going to the party on Friday night. “I woke up about 3 am (yesterday) and saw the lights on in his room, so I thought he was at work because he told me he might work a double-shift,” the grieving father said. 
 
Police reports on the incident said that around 3.30 am yesterday, persons attending a party hosted by CB Promotions at the Petrotrin grounds spotted a body at the bottom of the pool. According to reports, Adrian’s body was pulled out of the water and attempts to resuscitate him proved futile. The body was examined by District Medical Officer Dr Furlonge, and removed to the San Fernando mortuary. An autopsy is expected to be performed tomorrow. Ag Insp Sylvester, who is attached to the South Western Division, said around 5 am he received the tragic news by telephone. The police officer said he immediately went down to the pool and started making inquiries to find out  what had happened. He said: “From what I am hearing there were no lifeguards on duty,” adding that his son was not a competent swimmer.

Sunday Newsday was unable to reach a representative of CB Promotions to comment on the incident. Only last month, Adrian started working as an operator at Carlisle Tyre and Rubber factory at Point Fortin. On Friday, he left to work the 2-10 pm shift, telling his father he might work an extra shift from 10 pm to 6 am. The elder Sylvester said: “I told him to forget about working extra and to come home. But now I think he told me about the extra shift to throw me off from his plans.” A childhood friend of the deceased, Kern Julien, said he spoke to Adrian while he (Adrian) was waiting for a taxi to go to work on Friday. Julien said: “He told me he wanted to go to the pool party. But I told him to save his money and we will go to another lime at La Brea on Sunday. He said ‘all right’ and he left. So I don’t know how he ended up there”. The teenager was described as an avid sports fan, and a keen and talented football player who played on the secondary school team for Fyzabad Composite, and who recently joined the Juventos football team in Fyzabad.  Santa Flora Police are continuing investigations.