Demonstrators gather outside YMCA demanding answers in teen’s drowning death

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    La Cañada Flintridge, CA (KCAL/KCBS) — Demonstrators gathered outside of a YMCA in La Cañada Flintridge Monday evening to demand answers after a 19-year-old camp counselor drowned earlier this summer.

According to the family, Colin Jacobs drowned July 1 while swimming with campers at the Crescenta Valley Family YMCA in Glendale where the day camp, generally held at the YMCA of the Foothills in La Cañada Flintridge, had been relocated.

“I want people to know that this happened,” Amber Jacobs, Colin’s sister said. “It feels like it’s kind of been a secret. It seems like the YMCA is hiding it.”

They said they found out about the teen’s death from the hospital, and have yet to receive information from the YMCA.

“We want answers, and we want accountability,” Phillip Jacobs, the teen’s father, said. “We want the community to know what happened to Colin and how it can possibly be that somebody drowns in a pool and we want to make sure that does not happen to another child.”

According to the family, the teen had volunteered and worked with the YMCA for about a decade.

“He’s been involved with the Y for about nine years … and it seems like they just don’t care about his death, and we just don’t understand how they could let him down,” Amber said.

The family said Jacobs had a history of seizures — but had been on medication and was cleared by doctors — though it was not clear if he had a seizure before he drowned.

In a statement, the YMCA said it mourned the teen’s death and supported the family’s desire to peacefully protest but could not comment due to a pending investigation.

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