FARGO (AP) -- The death of a 9-year-old girl who drowned in a Devils Lake municipal pool is the second such incident at the facility in less than a decade.
Monbari Taoh, of Fargo, was swimming at the Mike Dosch Memorial swimming pool while attending a nearby Bible camp when she drowned about 3:45 p.m. Tuesday, said Devils Lake police Chief Bruce Kemmet.
A 10-year-old Dickinson girl drowned at the same pool in August 1998 while attending a Salvation Army camp trip. Six lifeguards were working at the time and about 200 people were using the pool.
Devils Lake recreation director Terry Wallace said six lifeguards and a supervisor were on duty on Tuesday and the pool was about 50 people below its 200-person ca-pacity.
Taoh was pulled unconscious from the pool, administered first aid, treated at Mercy Hospital in Devils Lake and then taken by Life Flight to MeritCare Hospital in Fargo, where she was pronounced dead, authorities said.
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Wallace said the pool added lifeguards after the 1998 drowning, saying the supervisor makes for seven people on duty.
Wallace said camp supervisors also watch the pool when campers are swimming, saying there were five there Tuesday.
Wallace said he had been told not to discuss the situation, saying it was still under investigation and that he would not comment further.
Taoh was at the pool for activities put on by Lakewood Park Bible Camp.
Nolan Sanders, district youth director for the camp, said he was unable to comment Thursday due to legal reasons.
The Devils Lake Park Board does not carry medical or accident insurance for the participants of its recreational programs since "the cost of doing so would be so high that fees charged for programs would become prohibitive," according to the Park's 2007 guidebook.
