Family of drowned teen continues fight for safeguards

The family of a teenager who drowned in the Riviere Rouge four years ago is continuing the long battle to make the area safer.

Sixteen-year-old Andrew Selby was walking along the river in the Laurentians with his brother when he lost his footing on shifting, unstable quicksand and, in a flash, was sucked into the water.

Since his death, his family has said the stretch of shoreline carries hidden danger, and has lobbied the town to block access to the path that leads to the dangerous shoreline

“You look around, and you think this is a peaceful place, a quiet place, a place where you want to bring your family to enjoy a day of swimming, and just relax -- and what it is is a place of death,” said Andrew’s uncle, Gary Selby.

The town has made efforts to safeguard the area, said Riviere Rouge Mayor Deborah Belanger.

“We understand, so right away we put up signs to make sure that people were well-advised that it was a dangerous area to swim in,” she said.

The large signs also indicate the number of drownings over the years – two in 2000, 1 in 2005, and 1 in 2008 – to make the point clear.

A coroner's report released in May, however, clearly indicates the municipality should go further, and ban access to the area altogether.

The Selby family I asked the town to erect a fence, but Belanger says there are two problems with that suggestion.

First, the land is private property, and second, fences don’t also prove to be a deterrent.

“We have a public pool here and we have a high fence and unfortunately the kids find a way to go over the fence when the pool is closed, so it's difficult,” she explained.

Gary Selby said he’s disappointed with the response, because he doesn't want his nephew's death to be in vain.

“You hear these stories of people drowning and you go onto the next story, but each family is affected and they never recover,” he said.

“Losing him just destroyed us,” said Selby. “We will do everything we can so this doesn't happen to some other family -- so they don't have to endure what we have endured and will continue to endure.”