Sister of woman who died in pool: I'll forgive, won't forget

FALL RIVER, Mass. -- The sister of a woman who drowned in a pool in Fall River is opened up about her sister’s tragic death.

The Marie Joseph’s body went undiscovered for more than two days. Joseph’s sister, Louis Ana Deandre, said she is prepared to forgive the people responsible for what happened, but there is no way she will forget it.

Joseph’s death came as a shock to many.

“She was just too young, like she was filled with life. It seems like it was taken away in an instant,” said one woman.

It was Joseph’s family that was hit the hardest by the death of the 36-year-old mother of five. Joseph drowned in a murky Fall River pool earlier this summer.

Deandre said she misses the relationship she had with her sister.

“She would keep it 100 percent with you. She wouldn’t like sugar coat anything. She would tell you how it is,” said Deandre.

She can’t help but question what happened on the day Joseph died. Joseph went down the slide at the pool, but never resurfaced.

“The pool is open to everyone. There are so many people; I’m going to feel something. I’m going to…I just don’t get it,” said Deandre.

Last week, the Bristol County District Attorney filed criminal complaints against two state employees. The DA released surveillance video of Veteran's Memorial Pool in Fall River, showing just how murky the water was in the days leading up to Joseph’s death.

DA Samuel Sutter says Brian Shanahan, regional director of the Department of Conservation and Recreation, and Jeff Carter, the department's SouthCoast District Manager, will not be charged in connection with the June 26 death. Sutter says state police will seek criminal complaints against Shanahan and Carter for allowing the pool to remain open the following two days when the water was too cloudy for safe operation.

Deandre said no matter what happens, this will be with them forever.

“I forgive you, but it’s one thing to forgive and forget, because I will never forget this,” said Deandre. “Because I have to live with the fact that I lost my sister.”

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