For the second week in a row, Western Pennsylvania lost a toddler to drowning.

This week it happened in McKean County, and last week it was Armstrong.

These tragic accidents will never be forgotten by these families, and the anguish will remain forever. The death of these young children is regrettable, but let us assure that it is impossible to always keep young children from harm’s way.

These accidents happen at parks, at lakes, along rivers and in backyards.

No one needs to or should ever point a finger of blame. If you have raised a child or more than one, you can surely reflect back on multiple times when but by luck or the grace of God you were spared from being the parent involved in such a tragedy.

Have you grabbed your child seconds before they stepped into the street or over a hillside? Maybe they approached a dangerous dog or maybe, worse yet, a dangerous human. Disaster lurks behind doors, inside cabinets and off window ledges. No family is immune from being that sad one that lost a child.

Every day, families face a scary world where our most vulnerable are at risk. It is all we can do to make the world as safe as possible for our children.

And we can certainly help make our communities safer by keeping a vigilant eye for our friends and neighbors.

Yes, there are times when a parent responds to acts of caring by telling the actors to mind their own business, but we would rather them say that than ask; why didn’t you do something?

Water is truly a deadly attraction if we don’t have a healthy respect for it the same as fire or traffic. Two children lost in two weeks is awful, and we hope we don’t hear about another for a long time.

Please be watchful of not just your kids but all children. Be a good neighbor and friend.

— RV