GO HERE: MEOW MEOW FOUNDATION DEMANDS AMERICAN RED CROSS MAKE CRITICAL CHANGES TO COLOSSAL OVERSIGHT GAPS IN LIFEGUARD AND WATER SAFETY INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS

GO HERE: AMERICAN RED CROSS LOOSENED LIFEGUARD CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS DURING PANDEMIC DESPITE THEIR OWN RESEARCH

UPDATE: The American Red Cross has not provided any proof that they have banned Summerkids from being a Licensed Training Provider, despite the fact that American Red Cross officials have communicated to Meow Meow Foundation that they have executed such a ban. This is significant in that there could be sweeping ramifications that extend far beyond one recreational child care facility such as Summerkids. If, and we stress if, the American Red Cross makes claims that it fails to enforce, this is concern for the entire aquatics arena and for those in American Red Cross aquatic representative care.

The American Red Cross General Counsel notified Meow Meow Foundation that it banned Summerkids from offering any future American Red Cross lifeguard or water safety instructor training as a Licensed Training Provider.

Summerkids is the Altadena recreational child care facility where 6-year-old Roxie Forbes drowned last June. The facility operates its own pool and offers water safety instruction to three and four-year-olds. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health previously shut down the pool for nine violations.

“We are also revoking all certificates associated with training conducted by Mr. Cervantes,” the Red Cross response letter said. “This includes all current (not expired) certificates of lifeguards and water safety instructors who took classes taught by Mr. Cervantes.”

Summerkids owner-operators Cara, Joe, Maria and Giancarlo DiMassa hired American Red Cross representative, lifeguard instructor and water safety instructor Andrew Cervantes a decade ago and have employed his services ever since.

A Meow Meow Foundation investigation subsequently uncovered that Cervantes falsely certified himself, failed to provide requisite training and testing to Summerkids employees and issued bogus lifeguard and water safety instructor certificates. The American Red Cross possesses internal documentation that illustrates how Cervantes failed to provide requisite training. However, the American Red Cross failed to take action against Cervantes at any time before Meow Meow Foundation demanded that the organization take action regarding the fraudulent acts.

Documents show that the DiMassas participated in the scheme. According to invoices and emails, the DiMassas apparently paid Cervantes a fraction of typical American Red Cross course fees. The DiMassas have repeatedly and falsely claimed that “4 Red Cross certified lifeguards were at the pool” when Roxie drowned. All of those Summerkids employees never received or required requisite training or testing and yet accepted bogus certifications.

The Red Cross said it is “revoking all certificates held by Andrew Cervantes and permanently barring him from obtaining Red Cross certificates in the future. Going forward, he will not be able to conduct any Red Cross training classes in any capacity.”

Meow Meow Foundation, a water safety and camp safety nonprofit, has demanded far greater atonement from the American Red Cross. Principals Doug Forbes and Elena Matyas sent a demand letter to the organization outlining circumstances that led to their daughter’s death and requiring that the American Red Cross change specific systems, standards and oversight to better protect children nationwide. The American Red Cross chose not to work with Meow Meow Foundation in such a manner, instead suggesting that the foundation should support American Red Cross initiatives, including the Centennial Campaign.

According to response letter, the Red Cross said they, “take exception to the statements in [their] letter suggesting that the Red Cross played a role in this tragedy.” Forbes and Matyas have since said they firmly disagree and “will stop at nothing” to require critical changes from $3 billion global health and safety organization.

The following is a partial list of Summerkids employees who operated with bogus Red Cross lifeguard and/or water safety certifications which are revoked or since expired. MMF believes that Cervantes and Summerkids approved between 100-200 bogus certifications over a decade. The foundation will continue to evaluate how such a colossal gap in oversight affects other operations nationwide.

Anthony (Robert) Antonucci - Altadena, CA - WELL BEYOND THE POOL WHEN ROXIE DIED BUT WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO SPOTTED HER FLOATING “DEAD MAN”
Angelina Aparicio - Pasadena, CA
Aaron Baker - Pasadena, CA
Alexander Bang - La Canada-Flintridge, CA
Dania Chawkins - Pasadena, CA
Andrew Cervantes - Los Angeles, CA
Callista Crabtree - Arcadia, CA
Brian Dauven - Los Angeles, CA
Cowboy Joe Di Massa - Pasadena, CA - SUMMERKIDS OWNER
Dillon Benacerraf-Gajda - Los Angeles, CA - AT THE POOL WHEN ROXIE DIED BUT SOMEHOW DID NOT SEE HER DROWNING
Sophia Courtney - Pasadena, CA
Natalie Del Castillo - Pasadena, CA - AT THE POOL WHEN ROXIE DIED BUT SOMEHOW DID NOT SEE HER DROWNING
Veronica Del Castillo, CA - Pasadena, CA
Archer Engels - Los Angeles, CA
Cameron Evans - Los Angeles, CA
Elizabeth Ettinger - Pasadena, CA
Sean Hamilton - Los Angeles, CA
Cody Holland - Columbus, OH
Andy Hovland - Glendale, CA
Sean Hovland - Glendale, CA
Lena Isaacson - Los Angeles, CA
Nathan Isaacson - Los Angeles, CA
Nora Johnson - Altadena, CA
Isabella Martin - Monrovia, CA
Isaak Momsen - Altadena, CA
Carly Muir - South Pasadena, CA
Joseph Natalizio - La Crescenta, CA - AT THE POOL WHEN ROXIE DIED BUT SOMEHOW DID NOT SEE HER DROWNING
Michael Natalizio - La Crescenta, CA
Luis Nuno - Pasadena, CA
Giacomo Perri - Pasadena, CA
Faith Porter - Altadena, CA - AT THE POOL WHEN ROXIE DIED(?) BUT SOMEHOW DID NOT SEE HER DROWNING
(Daniel) Hank Rainey - South Pasadena, CA - AT THE POOL WHEN ROXIE DIED BUT SOMEHOW DID NOT SEE HER DROWNING
Colton Ramirez - Duarte, CA
Jacob Wielenga - Altadena, CA
Fionn Yapkowitz - Altadena, CA
Ethan Zogg - Pasadena, CA