DA Pittsfield educator laughed off warnings before 12-year-old drowned during a field trip

Giver Essien, a 12-year-old Pittsfield student, drowned during a school field trip to Beartown State Forest, leading to manslaughter charges against two educators. District Attorney Timothy J. Shugrue reported that other students alerted staff about Essien's inability to swim, but their warnings were ignored. The charges against program coordinator Linda Whitacre and site supervisor Meghan Braley include involuntary manslaughter and reckless endangerment. Shugrue emphasized that their negligence directly contributed to Essien's drowning, which occurred just before her 13th birthday.

Initial searches for the missing girl were poorly conducted, with staff only realizing she was gone when students were boarding the bus. Massachusetts regulations require that children's swimming abilities be assessed and flotation devices provided, neither of which were followed during the trip. The educators are set to be arraigned in the coming weeks, with significant implications for safety protocols in school activities. This tragic incident highlights the urgent need for adherence to safety regulations in educational settings.