Augusta Circuit District Attorney Jared Williams recently instructed the GBI to issue an arrest warrant for swim instructor Lexie Tenhuisen on a single count of involuntary manslaughter in the drowning death of 4-year-old Israel “Izzy” Scott that occurred June 14 in Burke County.
Opinion
Williams likely braced himself for a backlash in making the decision to file charges in the case, especially in consideration of the fact that the Burke County Sheriff’s Office declined to charge Tenhuisen because the death resulted from a tragic accident.
Make no mistake: it was a tragic accident. However, the district attorney has correctly applied the law in this matter.
Tragic accidents come with consequences.
For the family of young Izzy, the consequence is a giant hole in their hearts that can never be filled. For Tenhuisen, the consequence is facing the judicial system and, if convicted, accepting a punishment that may give the young boy’s family some modicum of closure.
Under the law, a minor distraction that causes a death is criminal negligence even in the absence of criminal intent.
Williams has rightly come under criticism for his past missteps, particularly the decision not to prosecute Antoine Redfield in a double murder case only for Redfield to be involved in the drive-by shooting that killed 8-year-old Arbrie Anthony only a few weeks later.
Using Williams’ own words, a victim is “not a file on a desk, nor an article in the news,” and we absolutely agree with that sentiment.
Likewise, it is not the district attorney’s job to do anything other than apply the law when it has been established that a law has been violated. This should be the case whether those responsible are gang members who intentionally kill or a distracted swim instructors who make an unfortunate and tragic mistake.
