A New Jersey father, Adam Lisberg, is cautioning parents about the potential dangers of mermaid tail swimsuits following a near-drowning incident involving his daughter. Lisberg's daughters, Annabelle (then 5) and Ruby (then 7), were swimming in a kiddie pool while wearing mermaid tail swimsuits on June 28, 2020. These swimsuits, designed to mimic a mermaid's tail, bind the legs together, posing a risk to children in the water.

Lisberg explained that his daughters had owned similar swimsuits before and were aware of the limitations they imposed on kicking and walking. However, because the pool was only two feet deep, he felt confident in their safety, especially with regular supervision. On the day of the incident, Lisberg briefly left to assist his son with making guacamole, keeping an eye on the girls through the kitchen window. After a false alarm where he heard the girls crying (only to find they were playing), Lisberg returned to the kitchen.

Shortly after, Ruby came inside to report that Annabelle was not moving. Lisberg rushed to the pool and found Annabelle unresponsive with wide eyes. After performing rudimentary CPR, Annabelle began to respond. She was then taken to the hospital, where she stayed for two days. Ruby explained that she saw Annabelle underwater and tried to communicate with her, but Annabelle did not respond. Ruby managed to pull her sister out of the water completely.

Annabelle later recounted that she had been 'playing potato' when she pulled the swimsuit over her arms, causing her to become submerged. She was unable to move her hands to remove the suit, and bubbles came out when she tried to call for help, leading her to go into shock.

Dr. Suzette Oyeku, chief of the Division of Academic General Pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, supports Lisberg's warning, stating that any toy or swimsuit that constrains a child's legs or arms and impairs their ability to float can be a safety hazard. She emphasized that such devices can obstruct a child's movement in the water and potentially lead to drowning.

Lisberg expressed feelings of guilt for not supervising his daughters every second but acknowledged that his older daughter's quick actions saved Annabelle's life. He now urges all parents to avoid mermaid tail swimsuits, regardless of their appeal to children. He emphasizes that these swimsuits can be deadly, even if they seem harmless, and that the risk of a child pulling the suit over their arms is an unforeseen danger.

Lisberg concludes by warning parents to be scared by his story and to understand the potential fatal consequences of using mermaid tail swimsuits. He hopes that sharing his family's experience will prevent similar incidents from happening in the future, stressing that no one should ever get near water while wearing one.