Coligny Beach Park pictured here on March 20, 2020.
Drew Martin
dmartin@islandpacket.com
Beaches are a top summer destination for visitors of all ages in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, but how young is too young to be at the beach alone, and what are the best ways to keep your kids safe?
Neither Beaufort County nor the Town of Hilton Head has a local ordinance setting a minimum age for children to be unaccompanied at the beach. The state of South Carolina also does not have a law establishing when a child can legally be left unsupervised, whether at home or in public.
Still, that doesn’t mean anything goes.
In the state of South Carolina, child custody lawyers and pediatricians recommend that a child under the age of 9 should not be anywhere unsupervised.
Hilton Head’s beach policies
Even without legal requirements, beach safety personnel on Hilton Head have some guidelines.
According to Shore Beach Service, which provides lifeguard services along the island, these are their policies for children’s safety on the beach:
Children should never be left unsupervised, even in areas monitored by lifeguards.
Never let children swim alone, regardless of their age or ability.
Use the buddy system, so someone is always available to call for help.
“In most cases, we typically have lost children on our beaches, which are handled relatively quickly,” said Mike Wagner, director of Shore Beach Service. “The beaches can get crowded, so if that happens, we always advise people to find the nearest lifeguard or rental assistant for help.”
Lifeguards and rental attendants for Shore Beach Service are all certified lifeguards and equipped with radios that allow for faster communication and identification of lost or unattended children or persons.
Lifeguards are located in the high chairs under a red umbrella and can be identified by their yellow and red uniforms, while rental assistants wear blue and gray. If additional help is needed in locating a child, Shore Beach Services will contact the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, wrote Lt. Danny Allen, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, in an email.
“If a parent calls BCSO for help, then we inform Shore Beach Services, and BCSO will assist in locating the lost child as well,” he added.
In addition to Shore Beach Services’ policies for child safety on the beach, Wagner provides these additional tips:
Everyone in your party knows the beach you are at by name and marker (59A, Coligny Beach Park). For a list of all beach marker numbers, click here.
Have someone in your party be a designated “Water Watcher,” meaning they are responsible for monitoring all children in their party when in the water.
A Shore Beach Service lifeguard displays a yellow flag that warns beach goers of stronger than usual surf, including rip currents. Drew Martin dmartin@islandpacket.com
What the law says
“Every situation is different depending on the age of the child and the context of the situation,” said Heather Woolwine, spokesperson for the Town of Hilton Head, in an email.
Even though circumstances may vary, South Carolina law outlines some scenarios where an unsupervised child in a public place could amount to abandonment.
South Carolina law defines abandonment as a situation in which a parent “willfully deserts a child” without acknowledging the child’s needs or the continuing care. The statute doesn’t specify an age when this becomes illegal, but it does state it’s a felony to:
Place a child at unreasonable risk of harm
Cause bodily harm that endangers the child’s life or health
Or willfully abandon a child
If a child is left unattended and something goes wrong, like injury or getting into danger, authorities may get involved.
“Every situation is case by case,” Allen said. “There’s a big difference between an unattended teenager and an unattended toddler.”
During the summer months, law enforcement presence increases on Hilton Head, and officers are available to help monitor and respond to any issues that may occur.
“If you see us, our presence is intended for keeping everyone safe,” Allen said.
What are the risks?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more children under 5 years old die from drowning than from any other cause of death. For children between the ages of 5 and 14, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death.
The South Carolina Department of Public Health advises never swimming alone, regardless of age and ability and that someone should always be monitoring children when they are in the water.
“We want everyone to have fun, but to be safe,” Allen wrote. “Stay in more visible areas, obey all warnings, rules and laws. If you notice a safety or medical issue, always call it in.”
