At what age is it OK to leave a child alone at a Myrtle Beach area beach or pool? What the law says

Beaches are popular summer destinations in the Grand Strand for people of all ages but are there restrictions for unattended minors?

Neither Horry County nor the city of Myrtle Beach have laws defining a minimum age for children to be unaccompanied at beaches during the day.

According to the Myrtle Beach Code of Ordinances , it’s a misdemeanor for minors without a guardian to remain in public places, including beaches, during juvenile curfew hours, from midnight until 6 am. Likewise, it’s a misdemeanor for parents and guardians to knowingly allow an unaccompanied minor to be in a public place during the curfew hours.

“A minor is free to legally be on the beach or another public place outside of curfew hours,” Myrtle Beach public information officer wrote in an email. “A parent or guardian is responsible for a minor and their behavior.”

Still, there are real dangers swimming alone, especially for children.

“The number one rule of swimming safety is to never let children play near water unattended because drowning can happen quickly and quietly,” a representative for the South Carolina Department of Public Health told The Sun News. “Adult supervision is essential.”

According to the CDC , more children under 5 years old die from drowning than any other cause of death and, for children between the ages of 5 and 14, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death.

While there are no legal age requirements, the law will get involved if an unattended minor gets hurt.

“Should harm befall an unaccompanied juvenile, particularly one of such a young age that they cannot be said to be responsible for their own safety, their guardian may be subject to legal penalties,” said Horry County public information officer Mikayla Moskov in an email. “Dependent upon the precise details of the incident involving the child, charges could range across a wide spectrum.”

Experts like the South Carolina Department of Public Health and local lifeguards advise never swimming alone , regardless of age and ability. Beach Service Ltd. supervisor Alec Betts recommends supervising people under the age of 18 at the beach, but says the buddy system is always a good idea.

“For any age, we really want you to be in company with someone, whether it’s a friend, mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, whoever,” Betts said. “It’s really important to never swim alone and always have someone with you to watch you swim, or to swim with you. It’s pretty critical in terms of safety.”