A traveling swim instructor surrendered to the GBI on Tuesday night and was immediately released on bond in connection with last summer’s death of 4-year-old Israel “Izzy” Scott in Burke County.
District Attorney Jared Williams had instructed the GBI last month to issue an arrest warrant for Lexie Tenhuisen for involuntary manslaughter, a misdemeanor.
Tenhuisen, 66, of Waynesville, N.C., was booked into the Burke County Detention Center and then released after posting a $10,000 preset Magistrate Court bond, according to sheriff’s Capt. Jimmy Wylds.
Last month, Williams released an emotional statement about his decision to have the instructor charged.
“Izzy Scott is not a case. He is not a file on a desk, nor an article in the news. He is a child whose loss has broken the heart of our community. He is a symbol of how we should cherish our little ones and hold them tight,” Williams said.
The prosecutor said his decision came after “months of dedicated inquiry, investigation, and legal analysis,” which concluded that “a criminal offense has occurred in the death.”
The drowning occurred on June 14, 2022, at 113 Deer Run Road in Burke County. Israel, along with nine other children, were attending swimming lessons being provided by Tenhuisen. According to a Sheriff’s Department press release at the time, Israel got into the deep end as lessons were concluded and was undetected.
Tenhusien’s granddaughter noticed Israel in the pool and notified Tenhusien who had just gotten out of the pool with the children to dry off after the last child’s swimming relay.
“Tenhuisen immediately jumped back into the pool to rescue Israel,” the sheriff’s press release said. “At this time, Israel was unresponsive and Tenhusien and a parent (registered nurse) who was waiting for her child’s lessons to start started CPR.”
Sheriff Alfonzo Williams declined to charge the visiting instructor after a long review and investigation.
The district attorney said he conferred with the Solicitor General’s Office for Burke County.
“In the interest of preventing delays and ensuring continuity of services for Izzy’s family, we shall exercise our concurrent jurisdiction by accusing this matter in the Superior Court of Burke County,” he said. “The truth is this: nothing done in a courtroom can ever repair the harm done to Izzy’s family. Many have called for felony charges and a lengthy prison sentence for this offense. Neither the law nor the facts support such a result. After discussing this decision, both the family and the State of Georgia are in lockstep that the aim of this prosecution is not retribution, but Accountability under the law.”
Williams continued: “Why should a child so innocent, so precious, leave us so young? How could the law be so insufficient, placing no safeguards over the very people who are entrusted as lifeguards over our children? As I have struggled with these questions, I recognize that I can neither question God’s timing nor expect to understand His providence. What I can do is use the law to create the change this community wishes to see. I therefore offer my support and knowledge of this case and the law to our local delegation of the Georgia General Assembly. Together with the family we may be able to protect children across this state, striving to ensure no family need ever endure this pain again. In the end, I believe Izzy’s legacy will be lasting change.”
Greg Rickabaugh is the Jail Report contributor for The Augusta Press. Reach him at greg.rickabaugh@theaugustapress.com
