Baby Majura was 10 months old when he drowned on 26 December 2022 at his home in Papakura. He was found unresponsive in a portable pool that had been left setup on the deck of the family home with a poorly secured ranch slider and inadequate fencing.
In his findings, Associate Coroner James Buckle supported a recommendation that portable pools between 400 millimetres and 1.2 metres in height be discontinued from sale - a recommendation strongly backed by Water Safety New Zealand to help prevent avoidable drownings of young children.
Water Safety New Zealand’s Gavin Walker says these inexpensive pools are widely purchased but often left unfenced and filled with water.
“Buyers typically do not budget for, or anticipate the real need for, appropriate fencing, leaving children at serious risk of drowning.”
Two children under the age of five have drowned in portable pools already in the first two months of this year. This problem did not exist a decade ago.
In March 2025, Coroner Michael Robb made a series of recommendations aimed at preventing further above-ground pool drownings including that temporary pools under 1.2 metres in height be discontinued from sale. Associate Coroner Buckle has reinforced those recommendations in today’s findings.
In Baby Majura’s case, it was believed fencing protection had effectively been created, with fencing on three sides and the house, accessible through a sliding door, forming the fourth barrier. However, the Coroner found that fencing on two sides measured approximately 510 millimetres in height, while the third side was approximately 1040 millimetres high. All were below the minimum mandated height of 1200 millimetres. And, while it was thought the sliding door was closed, it appears Baby Majura was able to gain access to the deck and the inflatable pool.
Walker says one drowning is too many. Losing a child to drowning is an unimaginable pain no one should experience and recent deaths indicate an urgent and ongoing risk.
“Our thoughts and condolences are with everyone who knew and loves Baby Majura. Such a loss is simply heartbreaking. We must make a change.
"It is clear that there is simply too much risk presented by these pools. People are not fencing them adequately or emptying them immediately after use - and families are paying the ultimate price,” Walker says.
Drowning deaths of young children in home pools have long been a serious issue in New Zealand. In the 1980s, prior to the introduction of the Fencing of Swimming Pools Act 1987, an average of 8.8 children drowned each year.
That number reduced significantly following the introduction of pool fencing legislation. However, Walker says while fencing laws have saved lives, the home pool environment has changed.
“Over the past decade, cheap portable pools have become easily available and are ending up being used without safety fencing in properties across New Zealand” he says. “Any unfenced pool is a tragedy waiting to happen. A split-second distraction can have devastating implications for our youngest and most vulnerable.”
Coroner Buckle has also recommended that law changes be considered to require promotional and packaging imagery to clearly show portable pools set up in a way that is fully compliant with relevant safety legislation. He further recommended that MBIE, or another appropriate government agency, conduct or commission research into portable pool sales and usage in New Zealand, their relationship to drowning incidents, and whether design improvements could make portable swimming pools safer.
Water Safety New Zealand supports these recommendations and continues to advocate for legislative change to prevent further avoidable deaths.
Says Walker: “We’re encouraged by recent contact from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment indicating they are willing to work with us to address the problems.
“But, two deaths in the past two months paints an urgent picture. We simply need to move faster.”
For more information:
