The recent death of a 5-year-old in Stratford has water safety on the minds of many this summer.

The tragic death occurred in a backyard pool last week.

Unintentional drowning is the second leading cause of death in children ages 1 to 14 in the United States, according to the CDC.

The CDC says the highest rates of drowning are in children ages 1 to 4. They say many of those deaths are related to lack of supervision.

Chelsea Piers Aquatics Operations Manager Jim Goodwin says vigilance is key in keeping swimmers safe.

He says to be careful with inflatables on kids that can't swim because they could unexpectedly deflate.

He also stresses the importance of teaching children water safety.

Aquatics experts say it's never too early to get your children comfortable around water by giving them swim lessons with certified instructors.