MEMPHIS, Tenn. — After months of silence spent coping the loss of their loved one, 6-year-old Antonio “TJ” Weston Jr., who drowned in a hotel pool after he and one other child were left unattended at a birthday party in January, the Weston family is now pushing for change, starting with a petition.
The petition demands that all public operating pools have a lifeguard on duty during all open pool hours.
As of now, 81 people have signed the petition powered by change.org, quickly approaching the family’s goal for 100 signatures.
One member of the Weston family said that the incident is still being investigated by detectives and the district attorney’s office to legally determine fault.
Memphis Police Department said when officers arrived at the scene at Double Tree by Hilton Hotel at 5000 Sanderlin Ave. around 9 p.m. on January 29, both boys, TJ and another child, had been pulled out of the pools by hotel guest.
According to guests, the boys were found in two separate pools, one in an inside pool, and TJ at the bottom of the outside pool.
Although guests were able to quickly act, performing CPR on the surviving child, guest said TJ was under water for some 30 minutes before being found.
Guests said they saw several children at the pool unsupervised that night.
The family said they had no knowledge that their child would be swimming while attending the birthday party.
To sign the petition, click here.
Editor's Note: The media attached to this article is from a previous broadcast that aired on January 30, 2022.