News

Tears, flowers for 'special little girl'

Kiana Appleby, who died at her swim team practice, "had a glow about her."

By SHANNON COLAVECCHIO-VAN SICKLER
Published May 7, 2005

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TAMPA - If there was a pool nearby, Kiana Appleby wanted to be in it.

William Appleby, uncle to Kiana's father, said the 8-year-old was often in the water during family gatherings, her long black hair floating behind her.

She was good enough at swimming to win medals, said Diana McDougall, Kiana's neighbor and a family friend.

"She loved to swim," McDougall said. "That was her thing."

Kiana died in the community pool at the Westchase Swim & Tennis Center near her home Thursday night as a heavy storm sent rain pouring down while Kiana was practicing with the Dolphins swim team.

Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Debbie Carter said it appears to have been an accidental drowning, "a terrible tragedy."

Dick Bailey, office manager for the Hillsborough County medical examiner, said examiners are looking into her medical history to determine whether a pre-existing condition such as a congenital heart problem might have factored into her death.

"We're like everyone else," said William Appleby, who lives in Kentucky. "We're waiting for some word as to what happened."

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Kiana and 30 other members of the swim team were practicing about 5:30 p.m. when a storm rolled in, bringing thunder and lightning.

Someone working at the pool - sheriff's officials did not say whether it was a lifeguard, the athletic director or some other staff member - told the youngsters to get out of the pool.

When the children gathered under shelter at the swim center, one of Kiana's friends noticed she wasn't there, according to sheriff's investigators. A lifeguard did a head count, checked the shelter and the rest rooms but could not find Kiana.

The lifeguard couldn't see through the heavy rain into the swimming pool from his vantage point, so he walked around the pool looking for Kiana, Carter said.

He saw her in the deep end of the pool, pulled her out and began resuscitation efforts.

She was taken to Town & Country Hospital. Carter said there were at least three adults at the pool during the swim practice: the athletic director, a lifeguard and at least one staff member.

Karen Webster, facilities manager at the center, said she cannot comment because the investigation is ongoing. Jim Mills, president of the Westchase Community Association, referred all questions about safety precautions at the pool to Greenacre Properties Inc., Westchase's property management company.

Jeff Greenacre, owner of the Tampa-based firm, declined to comment.

Gerald Northrop's daughter played with Kiana and used the center's tennis courts. He said he has never worried about his daughter's safety at the community gathering spot.

"I have been to this facility numerous times, and they always seem to have plenty of staff, always two lifeguards on staff," Northrop said. "They are always careful about the kids' safety when the weather gets bad."

So far this year, three children 12 years old or younger have drowned in Hillsborough County, according to the medical examiner's office. Five children under age 13 drowned last year, including four who died in the summer.

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Friday morning, family friends cried outside the caramel-colored stucco home where Kiana lived with her parents, Keith and Diana Appleby.

Neighbors whose children played with Kiana tried to talk about her but were overcome with emotion. Some retreated into their homes to grieve.

"She's a very, very special little girl, a real treasure," said next-door neighbor John Thorington. "She just had a glow about her.

"Our family is heartbroken."

Nearby, the large pool at the center was closed for the afternoon. Mourners placed flowers near the entrance. Inside the center, coaches called parents to tell them about Kiana.

At Citrus Park Christian School, her classmates made a memorial.

"We asked them all to say one word about Kiana, and they all said the same thing," McDougall said. "They said she was a friend."

Kiana always prayed for me, one student said.

She was beautiful, said another.

McDougall said Kiana was more mother than child.

Born Sept. 11, 1996, at University Community Hospital, Kiana was fluent in Spanish, thanks to her mother's Colombian heritage.

She was teaching McDougall's 8-year-old daughter Lauren to speak Spanish. Kiana also had urged Lauren to join the swim team, McDougall said.

In her bedroom, Kiana kept a box of toys.

"Anyone who came to visit, she gave them a toy before they left," McDougall said.

This was supposed to have been a happy weekend for the Applebys.

Kiana was to receive her first communion Sunday at St. Paul's Catholic Church.

She had already taken pictures in her pretty white dress.

"Now she's having her first Communion face to face with Jesus," McDougall said, crying. "In heaven."

Staff photographer Joseph Garnett and researcher Cathy Wos contributed to this report. Shannon Colavecchio-Van Sickler can be reached at 813 226-3373 or svansickler@sptimes.com

[Last modified May 7, 2005, 01:01:10]

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