FRIENDS and work colleagues of a 25-year-old Havelock North woman who drowned in a pool at the weekend were today coming to grips with news of her death.
Sheree Margaret Robson died after she and a friend scaled a fence and she jumped into a covered swimming pool in Havelock North
on Sunday, about 3am.
She and a man climbed the 1.8m fence to get into Havelock North Village Pools after the two had been "out socialising", police said.
The pool was covered and it was possible she got trapped under the cover, Hastings Police Senior Sergeant Ross Smith said.
Her friend tried to resuscitate her but was unable to.
The owner of Lumsden Kindergarten, Hastings, where Ms Robson had worked for two years, said yesterday's news came as a shock.
"I want to say she was a very dedicated, passionate teacher. She was loved by all staff, children and their families and will be missed greatly by us all," Maggie Seton said. "She's just going to be a great loss to us."
The manager of the Havelock North pool, Adam Baker, said the pool was normally covered when it was closed as it was heated.
"I just wanted to say it's a tragedy and my thoughts are with her family and friends," he said.
Hastings District Council acting chief executive Mike Maguire said the pool fence was "not something you can get over without some effort".
"If people are determined to get over a 1.8m to 2m-high fence, they'll obviously get over it," he told the newspaper.
The council was likely to do "some sort of review".
