The Children’s Safety Network reports that one out of four drowning victims is a child. This actually adds up to more than 900 child drowning cases every year in the US alone.
In 1979, O.J. Simpson’s toddler, Aaren Simpson, was one of those unfortunate cases.
What happened to Aaren? How did her father cope with her death? Read on to learn more about the poor girl’s life and unexpected death.
Aaren Simpson: Quick Bio
Let’s get started with basic info about baby Aaren:
- Full Name: Aaren Lashone Simpson
- Birthdate: September 24, 1977
- Birthplace: Los Angeles, California
- Parents: Marguerite L. Whitley and Orenthal James (O.J.) Simpson
- Siblings: Arnelle, Jason, Justin (half-sibling), and Sydney (half-sibling)
- Date of Death: August 26, 1979
Timeline of Aaren Simpson’s Short Life
Aaren passed away before she even made it to her second birthday, and not much is known about the short time that she got to spend with her mom and siblings.
Image source: Instagram
Here’s the little that we do know about her:
1967: Her Parents Get Married Fairly Young
Marguerite Whitley met O.J. Simpson when she was still in high school. She knew Allen Cedric Cowlings, who was one of Simpson’s close friends, and that’s how she was introduced to the late athlete.
By 1965, Whitley and Simpson had started dating. Then, the couple got hitched in 1967 when they were college students.
1968: Her Parents Welcome Their Eldest Child
Shortly after tying the knot, the couple welcomed their first daughter, Arnelle Simpson. A couple of years later, Marguerite Whitley gave birth to a baby boy and named him Jason Lamar Simpson.
1977: Baby Aaren Is Born (But the Family Situation Was Rocky)
Image source: Google
Aaren Simpson was the couple’s last-born. But I think it’s safe to say that she wasn’t born into the perfect family.
Rumor has it that O.J. wasn’t faithful and had already started an affair with Nicole Simpson when his wife was pregnant with Aaren.
1978: Whitley and Simpson Part Ways
By 1978, Marguerite Whitely and O.J. were living separately and waiting for their divorce to get finalized. After more than a decade together, the couple made their separation official in March of 1979.
That said, I can’t say for sure that the affair was what brought the marriage to an end. After all, O.J. once said that his growing fame was the “biggest problem” between him and Whitely.
1979: A Tragic Accident Takes Away Aaren Simpson’s Life
On August 16, paramedics were called to the residence.
Apparently, little Aaren Simpson was left unattended for a bit, so she fell into the pool and drowned. The girl was found unconscious, revived with CPR, and taken to UCLA Medical Center, where she spent the last few days of her life before passing away on the 26th.
The family held a private funeral and buried the toddler in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City. The inscription on the grave says “Our Baby.” Isn’t it just heartbreaking?
Image source: Google
Did O.J. Blame His Ex-Wife for Aaren’s Death?
It depends on who you ask and which interviews you check.
For instance, the late athlete once told NBC’s Katie Couric that he never even discussed Aaren’s accidental death with his ex-wife. He called it a “tremendous loss” that they dealt with and “moved on” with their lives.
O.J. even said he didn’t need to know where Whiltley was when the little girl fell into the pool.
If you go by these statements, you might think that Simpson managed to turn a new leaf and accept his loss without holding any hard feelings. However, there are reports that contradict this.
You see, a former clerical worker at UCLA Hospital claimed that O.J. blamed Whitley for Aaren’s death. The late athlete allegedly ran down the corridor and screamed at his ex-wife, saying that she “murdered” his child. The source claims things got so bad that O.J. had to be restrained.
Now, it’s possible that O.J. simply made these comments in the heat of the moment. I mean, you can’t blame a parent for not thinking rationally after seeing his 23-month-old daughter on her deathbed.
Image source: Google
That said, there are rumors that Simpson played on Whitley’s guilt to gain an advantage in the divorce settlements. If that’s true, it would be particularly cruel.
Personally, I don’t think there’s a way to know for sure whether the late NFL player blamed his ex-wife for the accident or not.
Final Thoughts
The family rarely discusses Aaren Simpson’s accident in public, but I can only imagine that it was quite traumatic.
Let this tragedy remind you to supervise children around pools, bathtubs, and all water bodies. Child drowning is mostly silent and can happen in minutes!
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