Family of Montreal teen who drowned during swim class to sue city, school board

Themorning before everything changed, velyneMavoungou-Tsongasaysher son, Blessing Moukoko, asked her to give him some moisturizerto take with him to school.

He had swim class, and the pool waterdried out his skin and made it white. He wanted to make sure he could moisturize his skin before his next class.

Blessing, a 14-year-old student atcolePre-MarquetteinRosemont, was found at the bottom of the pool that February day. He had a pulse when he was taken to hospital, but died days later.

"It's been very hard. My entire life turned upside down. It's a nightmare, I can barely believe it. I hurt all over. I can't do anything,I'm on sick leave, I can't sleep. I picture him every day every day, every hour, every night,"Mavoungou-Tsongasaid.

She was wearinga T-shirt with a photo of her son with angel wings.

Blessing's family announced Wednesday it plans to sue the City of Montreal and the CommissionscolairedeMontral. The swim class took place CentrePre-Marquette, a city-run community centre.

Speaking softly and sniffling, Mavoungou-Tsongasaid she still has many questions about what happened, despite the fact the coroner's report, released Tuesday, shed some light on the circumstances.

She said her family wants answersso this never happens again.

"How did this happen? How is it possible, a child who goes to school and doesn't come back?"

Jean-ClaudeMoukoko, Blessing's father, saidno word exists to describethe pain he feels.

"He was my friend. He was my everything," he said.

He said the family wants to make sure things change, so that other children aresafe.

"We could never wish this on even our greatest enemy."

Family believes city, school were negligent

Lawyer Jean-PierreMnard said while the coroner could not ascribe blame in the case, the family believes it was negligence.

They haven't determined adollar amount for the lawsuityet, he said, because a child's life has no price.

"This is a sad story because it could have been prevented with a minimum of supervision,"Mnardsaid.

Coroner Dr. LouisNormandin's report revealed the teen was likely at the bottom of the pool for almost 40 minutes before he was pulled out.

Normandin pointed out since the lifeguard was helping to teach the class, there was no one whose only job was to watch the kids in the pool that day.

The lifeguard had to help teach the class because the teacher, a substitute, didn't have the required training to teach the class alone.

Blessing had self-identified as being unable to swim, and his friends also said he wasn't a strong swimmer.

Mavoungou-Tsongasaid she was shocked to learn there was no one watching her son while he was in the water.

Blessing's mother explains what life has been like since her son died:

'My entire life turned upside down,' says mother of teen who drowned

6 years ago

Duration 0:39

velyne Mavoungou-Tsonga said she still has questions about what happened to her son Blessing, who died after he was found unconscious at the bottom of a swimming pool.

Jean-Pierre Metabanzoulou, Blessing's uncle, announced during the news conference that the family is starting a foundation in the teen's honour.

One ofits goals will be to make sure children in the city's African community learn to swim.