A 9-year-old boy is dead after he was found unresponsive at a SwimRVA summer camp in Henrico County, Virginia, on Monday, June 15, leaving his family devastated and parents across the community shaken.
The child has been identified as King Overton by his mother, LaTaisha Johnson, who described her son as a bright and joyful child whose loss is impossible to put into words.
Henrico County Police were called to SwimRVA North, located at 317 North Wilkinson Road, around 2:30 p.m. after staff discovered the boy unresponsive and removed him from the pool.
Camp staff immediately started CPR and continued lifesaving efforts until paramedics and Henrico County firefighters arrived on scene. King was transported to a nearby hospital, where he later died.
The Henrico County medical examiner will determine the official cause and manner of death. Authorities have not confirmed the incident as a drowning, and no charges have been announced.
Johnson, speaking to local news outlets, remembered her son with heartbreaking tenderness.
“He was the smallest kid with the biggest heart,” she said. “Yesterday, at approximately 8:17 a.m., I told my son I love him the most for the very last time.”
On social media, she wrote that King was “our everything” and that the pain her family is carrying right now is unbearable.
A Community Left Grieving and Asking Questions
The news sent ripples of grief and concern through the wider Richmond community. Several parents who arrived at SwimRVA North to pick up their children that afternoon described the scene as alarming, with police vehicles surrounding the building.
One mother, who asked to remain anonymous, said her 6-year-old son was the one who explained to her what had happened after he witnessed the events during what camp counselors had designated as free swim time.
“He said that the pool seemed crowded to him,” the mother recalled. She added that she would not be sending her son back to the facility, despite believing that SwimRVA staff were devastated by the tragedy.
SwimRVA Executive Director Adam Kennedy confirmed the organization is cooperating fully with authorities.
He extended condolences to King’s family and said the organization is working to set up grief counseling and support resources for its broader community. SwimRVA canceled camp for the remainder of the week following the incident.
Family Launches GoFundMe to Cover Funeral Costs
In the days following King’s death, family members launched a GoFundMe campaign titled “Home going service for King O” to help cover memorial and burial expenses.
The campaign raised more than $6,000 toward a $9,000 goal by late Tuesday. Organizers described King as a funny, witty child who loved music, cars, and playing Roblox, and who treasured time spent fishing with his father.
Tommy Golden, president of the Lakeside Swim and Racquet Club, said his organization closed its pool early on Tuesday and offered its facility to host a swim meet originally scheduled at SwimRVA, wanting to ease any burden on the organization during the difficult period.
King Overton is survived by his parents and all those whose lives he touched during his nine years.
