Mom Sounds Alarm on Hidden Holiday Hazard That Nearly Claimed Her Daughter's Life in Just 12 Seconds Before Half Term

A mother has shared the shocking moment she nearly lost her daughter to a silent danger just before the half-term break.

The viral video posted by the mother, Beth, stunned social media as it captured the alarming moment her young daughter nearly drowned in their pool.

A mother has shared the frightening moment her daughter nearly drowned in their family poolCredit: Supplied The viral footage shows her daughter quietly struggling to stay above waterCredit: Supplied

The disturbing 12-second CCTV footage depicts her young daughter, believed to be around four years old, stepping into the water and moving away from the edge of the pool towards the deeper end.

Despite her attempts to stay afloat, her head repeatedly dips below the surface as she struggles to keep her head above water.

Suddenly, her father, who was only a few steps away, jumps into the water to rescue her.

The caption of the video stated: “You never think it could happen to you … until it almost does.”

Viewers quickly reacted, expressing their shock at the silent nature of the near-tragedy.

One commenter remarked, “OMG, that little girl was doing her best!” while another said the clip “terrified me to my core.”

Another person noted: “There was no splashing, no screaming, just silence—it’s so frightening.”

In a heartwarming update, Beth shared a video of her daughter swimming independently in the same pool three months later.

“She was taking swimming lessons at the time of the incident and had just finished 15 minutes before wandering back in!” the mother explained.

“That day marked her sixth lesson, and this is after 20 lessons.”

She also mentioned that the family’s pool safety measure, a pool cover, was off for the swimming lesson, and she and her husband were setting the table for dinner by the pool before they intended to put it back on.

“It was one of those moments of, ‘I thought you were watching her,’” she said.

“I’m not sharing this to excuse myself, but to remind others how quickly things can happen.”

Drowning continues to be a leading cause of preventable deaths for children under five.

Last year alone, 357 lives were lost to drowning, a figure that is 27 percent higher than the ten-year average, according to Royal Life Saving data for 2025.

This story was originally published on News.com.au and has been republished here with permission.