Grieving Philadelphia mother reveals dangerous game she fears caused daughter, 11, and son, 14, to both drown in swimming pool
A heartbroken Philadelphia mother who lost her two young children during a family pool day has revealed the dangerous game she fears took their lives.
Mom-of-six Brittney McWhite lost her 11-year-old daughter London Marie and 14-year-old son Wadale within a matter of minutes over Memorial Day weekend.
The family was at a holiday party in Gloucester, New Jersey, as the siblings decided to play a game of Marco Polo while holding their breaths.
After setting up for the cookout, Brittney realized she couldn't find her children, who she said both knew how to swim.
Family members quickly jumping in to save them from the bottom of the pool but, after a week on life support, the brother and sister died on June 2.
Brittney McWhite lost two of her six children, London Marie and son Wadale, within a matter of minutes, on Memorial Day weekend at a pool party in Gloucester, New Jersey
Wadale, 14 (left) and London Marie, 11 (right)
The grieving mother issued a stern warning to fellow parents who may take their kids to cool off at a pool, beach, or any open body of water.
'Always have a set of eyes. Prevent your kids from playing games. Make sure the pool is safe.
'If it doesn't look right, don't do it. Because once you lose your child, it is hard. It's really hard to stomach,' Brittney told FOX 29 Philadelphia.
On the day of the tragic incident, Brittney said London Marie and Wadale went into the water while she helped prepare food inside.
When she came outside, she couldn't find her kids, and quickly discovered that the siblings were in trouble.
'They weren't in there for more than like three or four minutes. They called their names...and when they jumped in, they were at the bottom of the pool.'
On the day of the tragic incident, Brittney said London Marie and Wadale (pictured) went into the water while she helped prepare food inside
After setting up for the cookout, Brittney quickly realized she couldn't find London Marie (pictured) and Wadale, who both knew how to swim
London Marie and Wadale were taken to the hospital, where they remained on breathing support machines to stay alive for a week.
It soon became clear to Brittney and the kids' father that their conditions weren't going to change.
'Keeping my child hooked onto a machine for the rest of their life is not ideally what any parent should want for their children, so today me and dad decided to end life support,' Birttney said.
Just after their deaths, London Marie would have celebrated her 12th birthday, while Wadale would have graduated from eighth grade.
On June 9, Kymm McWhite, the children's grandmother, posted a video of the family releasing balloons in honor of them.
'This was their party #2 and #4 continue to SIP my babies. HAPPY HEAVENLY B-DAY BABY GIRL!!!! This would have been your 12th,' she wrote on Facebook.
A few days later, the grandmother shared separate posts for each of them.
'Missing you Waddie. I want to hear your laughter, see your smile, have you get upset with me calling you countless times to go to the store.......there will be no more store runs, nor laughter, nor your beautiful smile. Just your memory,' she said.
In a post for her granddaughter, Kymm wrote: 'I miss you soooo much Lon-Lon.'
A celebration of life was held for both of them on June 22 at the Church of Christian Compassion in Philadelphia.
Brittney created a GoFundMe page to help pay for the funeral that her late children 'deserved.'
Just after their untimely deaths, London Marie (right) would have celebrated her 12th birthday, while Wadale (left) would have graduated from eighth grade. (pictured: Brittney (middle) and her children
On June 18 the mother posted a link to the donation page on Facebook and said: 'I greatly appreciate your love and support and need help laying my babies to rest.'
As of Monday afternoon, the page has raised more than $23,000 for the grieving family.
'Keep your kids close. Tell your kids you love them while they're here. Once something happens, all you have is memories.
'It's horrible, you never get those back. It's hard, but you have other kids, and you still have a family. You don't have time to grieve,' Brittney told Fox News Digital.
'I know they're at peace, it's just very devastating. Not to lose one child but two. I think that's more challenging because you can't stomach that, but you have to keep going.'
To prevent drownings, the CDC recommends a number of things, including enclosing pools with fences, supervising nearby children and learning CPR in case the worst does happen.
