Fall River Pool Where Woman Died Had Lapsed Permit

July 01, 2011

The Associated Press

The public swimming pool in Fall River where a woman's body may have gone unnoticed for more than two days had an expired permit.

In this photo provided by Candella Matta, Marie Joseph holds a family friend's daughter in the public swimming pool at Lafayette Park in Fall River. (AP)

Investigators are studying surveillance video and conducting interviews as they tried to determine what happened to 36-year-old Marie Joseph.

Friends said Joseph went swimming at the pool on Sunday. Her body was found Tuesday night.

Fall River Mayor William Flanagan says the pool's permit had expired on Dec. 31. City health inspectors went to the pool on Monday and again on Tuesday, and reported only that the water seemed cloudy. The inspectors have been placed on paid leave.

The head of the state agency that oversees state-run pools says Joseph's body apparently went unnoticed in the pool by other swimmers, lifeguards and inspectors. He called that possibility "a breakdown systematically somewhere."

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This program aired on July 1, 2011. The audio for this program is not available.