Swimming Pool Recall Over Child Deaths and Drownings
Have a new pool for your backyard? Before you start filling it, double-check which one you have. A recent swimming pool recall has pulled several models from Bestway, Intex, and Polygroup off the market after safety issues were discovered. Safety concerns have led to thousands of above ground pools being pulled from store shelves and homes across the U.S. and Canada. For families who already set these up, the recall raises important questions. What’s wrong with these pools? What should you do if you own one? And if someone gets hurt because of a defective pool, who’s responsible?
CPSC Recalls Above Ground Pools
On July 21, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a massive above ground pool recall, affecting nearly 5 million Bestway, Intex, and Polygroup pools sold across the U.S. and Canada. These 48-inch and taller Intex above ground swimming pools, Bestway above ground pools, and Polygroup-branded models use compression straps—bands that wrap around the pool outside the support poles.
While those straps were designed to help keep the pools stable, they also create footholds that make it easy for small children to climb over the wall, even when the ladder is removed. Sadly, CPSC has linked at least nine drownings involving children as young as 22 months to three years old to this design, with incidents reported in California, Texas, Florida, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Missouri.
These recalled pools, sold since 2002 through major retailers like Walmart, Target, Sears, Lowe’s, Kmart, Sam’s Club, The Home Depot, Big Lots, Costco, BJ’s, and online through Amazon, Wayfair, and the brands’ websites, cost anywhere from $400 to over $1,000 depending on size and accessories. Another 266,000 units were sold in Canada.
Which Pools Are Part of the Recall?
The above ground pool recall covers several popular models from Bestway, Intex, and Polygroup. These pools, all 48 inches or taller, have a design flaw in the straps wrapped around their support poles. Those straps, meant to stabilize the pool, can double as steps—making it easy for small children to climb in, even when a ladder isn’t there.
Here’s a breakdown of the affected brands and model lines:
Bestway and Coleman (Sold 2008–2024):
- Power Steel
- Steel Pro
- Coleman Power Steel
Intex (Sold 2002–2012):
- Metal Frame Pools
- Ultra Frame Pools
Intex (Sold Exclusively at Intexcorp.com and Walmart, 2024–2025, 266 units):
- Prism Frame Pool
- Ultra XTR Frame Pool
Polygroup (Sold 2006–2025):
- Summer Waves (2015–2025)
- Summer Escapes (2006–2015)
- Funsicle (2023–2025)
- Sand n Sun (2008–2011)
- Blue Wave (2014–2025)
What to Do If You Have a Recalled Pool
Not sure if your pool is part of the swimming pool recall? Take a look at the liner on the outside of your pool—most brands print the name and model there. Match that information with the list of recalled Bestway, Coleman, Intex, or Polygroup models. If it’s 48 inches or taller and shows up on that list, it’s included.
If you do have a recalled pool, contact the manufacturer—Bestway, Intex, or Polygroup—to get a free repair kit. The kit includes a rope that replaces the dangerous compression strap and removes the foothold hazard.
Until the repair is installed, make sure kids can’t access the pool unsupervised. If that’s not possible, the safest option is to drain the pool until the fix is in place.
How to Get Your Pool Fixed
If your pool is included in the above ground pool recall, you’ll need to reach out to the manufacturer for your free repair kit. Here’s how to contact each company:
Bestway
- Call toll-free: 844-593-4003 (Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. ET)
- Online: BWrecallsupport.expertinquiry.com
- Email: [email protected]
Intex
- Call toll-free: 800-549-8829 (Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. PT)
- Online: Intexcorp.com/recall
- Email: [email protected]
Polygroup
- Call toll-free: 888-621-4137 (Monday–Friday, 5 a.m.–11 p.m. MT)
- Online: Polygrouprecall.com
- Email: [email protected]
If you’ve already requested a repair but aren’t getting a response—or if a company isn’t following through—you can report the issue directly to the CPSC using this form.
Injuries Families Are Seeing
Not every case tied to these recalled pools has been fatal, but even near-drownings can leave kids with serious health problems. Some parents have shared that their children came away with:
- Brain damage after being underwater long enough to cut off oxygen
- Breathing troubles, sometimes so severe that they needed machines to help them recover
- Fear and panic around water that didn’t go away once they were physically healed
- Weeks or months of doctor visits and therapy, which can be overwhelming and expensive
And in some of the worst cases, parents are left grieving the loss of their child while trying to figure out how to cover funeral costs and everything else that follows.
Legal Options for Families After the Swimming Pool Recall
If a recalled pool led to a serious injury—or even the death of a child—families may be able to hold the manufacturer accountable. These cases often point to several problems, including:
- The way the pool was built. Those compression straps, for instance, ended up working like built-in steps for kids.
- Many parents said they didn’t see any clear warning about that risk, so they had no reason to think the straps could be dangerous.
- Some believe these pools weren’t properly tested before being sold, especially given how long this issue went unnoticed.
- And when drownings started happening, the recalls didn’t roll out right away, which meant more families were put at risk.
Manufacturers are supposed to make products that are safe for families to use in their own backyards. When a pool puts children in harm’s way and someone ends up injured or worse, those companies can be held financially responsible for the toll these tragedies take.
What to Do If Your Child Was Hurt by a Recalled Pool
If your child’s injuries were tied to the pool’s design, you may be able to file a product liability claim. In many cases, families can take legal action when a defective product causes harm—even if the company didn’t anticipate exactly how the injury would happen. Claims like these often center on:
- Defective design, where the compression straps ended up working like footholds, making it easy for small kids to get into the pool.
- Failure to warn, if the company didn’t clearly let families know about the risks those straps posed.
- Negligent testing or manufacturing, when the pool was sold without proper safety checks and the company waited too long to fix or recall it after learning about the danger.
- Breach of duty of care for distributing a product that was unsafe by design.
- Wrongful death, in the most tragic cases where a child was lost.
To protect your claim, start gathering what you can. Photos of the pool set up at your home help, especially if the brand or model is visible. Hold onto any receipts, manuals, or the original packaging if you still have them.
Speak with a lawyer as soon as you can. They can walk you through your options. However, don’t wait too long. Deadlines for filing can sneak up quickly. The longer you wait, the more difficult it becomes to preserve critical evidence needed for your case.
What Families Could Be Compensated For
What a family might recover depends on how bad the injuries were, what actually happened, and how it’s changed day-to-day life. In these cases, compensation often covers things like:
- Medical expenses, not just the first hospital bill but any follow-up care or rehab
- Therapy or long-term support for kids with brain injuries or lasting complications
- Funeral and burial costs for families who lost a child
- Lost income, especially if the person hurt—or a parent who passed—helped support the household
- Pain and suffering the child went through
- The emotional toll on both the child and their family
- The loss of a child’s companionship and comfort for grieving parents
- Lasting fear or anxiety survivors sometimes face after a near-drowning
- Punitive damages when the company’s behavior was especially reckless
- Whatever a settlement or jury award ends up covering if the case goes to court
Above Ground Pool Recall – Talk to Ethen Ostroff Law
If your family was affected by the above ground pool recall, Ethen Ostroff Law can help you explore your legal options. We work with families whose children were injured or lost because of these defective pools, helping them pursue compensation. Reach out today for a free consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a recall on above ground pools?
Yes. A major ground above pool recall was announced for about 5 million units sold since 2002, including Bestway above ground pool models, Intex above ground swimming pools, Coleman, and Polygroup brands. The recall addresses a drowning hazard caused by compression straps on the pool frame, which act as footholds for children to climb in even without a ladder.
What swimming pools are recalled?
The Bestway pools recall, Intex pools recall, and Polygroup pool recall affect 48-inch and taller pools, covering many popular models sold at major retailers and online. These include Bestway and Coleman Power Steel and Steel Pro pools (2008–2024), multiple Intex frame pool models (2002–2012 and 2024–2025), and Polygroup’s Summer Waves, Summer Escapes, Funsicle, Sand n Sun, and Blue Wave pools (2006–2025).
How to know if a swimming pool is contaminated?
If you’re concerned about contamination, look for cloudy water, a strong chemical smell, unusual colors, visible algae, or irritation after swimming—signs the pool water isn’t safe.
