Expert reveals why Las Vegas poolgoers ignored drowning female veteran as she died in shallow water while clutching pool railing

Scores of swimmers waded past a drowning woman as she clung to a pool railing because they had no idea she was in trouble, a psychologist believes.

Leticia Gonzales Triplett, 58, died on the morning of February 4 in the North Decatur Las Vegas Athletic Club's swimming pool.

The US Air Force veteran struggled to swim for about 25 minutes, and was seen in surveillance video gripping the side of the pool and kicking her legs as she attempted several laps.

After her head dipped underwater while she clung to the side wall, Triplett pulled herself to the pool steps, where she fought to remain above water by holding onto the hand rail. 

Several people casually walked alongside her into the pool where Triplett was fighting for her life, and continued to do so after the 58-year-old drowned and floated lifeless in the pool.

University of Nevada Las Vegas associate professor of psychology Stephen Benning said it was unlikely any of the 20 poolgoers knew she was in distress.

'It is likely that most of us in this situation would do exactly the same, because we would not recognize how distressed a person might be,' he told KLAS. 

'They were just doing what they probably have done hundreds, maybe thousands of times in their lives before.'

Benning said their reaction could also be an example of the bystander effect, where no one intervenes because everyone else nearby appears concerned.

'It is so unlikely that we would as people, imagine seeing others dying in a pool that we're using, that it may not enter people's mind that this is something that's actually happening,' he said.

Benning also blamed the 'individualistic' American culture of staying out of each other's business, and not wanting to intrude on someone else.

'Rather than it being a cold-hearted, calculated or dismissive attitude toward other people, it may be a reflection of wanting people to allow some bodily autonomy and allow them to do what they want in a pool,' he said.

An attorney for the LVAC gym told 8NewsNow that Triplett was seen walking with crutches before she entered the pool. 

During her fatal struggle, it is unclear if Triplett called for help or attention from the other swimmers, who appeared to be clueless to her fighting to keep her head above the water. 

The final moment before Triplett drowned happened when she was on the steps, as she kicked herself away from the hand rail and could not lift herself upright. 

She appeared motionless and facedown in the pool for about 10 minutes, with several people appearing to look at her body but no one stepping in to help her. 

She was only lifted from the pool around 20 minutes after she first got in, when a swimmer in an adjacent pool spotted her. 

The other swimmer dove in and pulled her to the edge, where several other people helped to pull her out. 

An LVAC employee performed CPR until paramedics arrived after around five minutes, but Triplett was pronounced dead shortly after. 

Oganna Brown, an attorney for LVAC, claimed that Triplett's death was due to a 'cardiac arrest', and maintained that the gym has never had such an incident before in decades. 

'In 46 years, there has not been a drowning event,' she said. 

'This is an anomaly, and this was not a direct drowning event. This was a cardiac arrest.' 

However, according to 8NewNow, a subsequent investigation by the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) found there was another near-drowning at LVAC just a few days after Triplett's death. 

An attorney for the SNHD, Joel Henriod, claimed there was no lifeguard present at the time of Triplett's death, and argued it should not have been up to customers to notice the crisis. 

'It's not their job to be looking,' he said. 'Unfortunately, you might as well be alone.' 

In an obituary for Triplett, it was noted that she enlisted for the US Air Force after graduating from Las Cruces High School in New Mexico, and 'loved' the military throughout her 24 years of service. 

She carried out a tour of Afghanistan in 2008, and 'received many medals and ribbons for her outstanding service', the obituary said. 

Triplett had a son and five grandchildren, and her family wrote that she 'always remembered birthdays and was the first one to send a birthday card.' 

'She enjoyed spending time at home and watching her favorite tv shows. She also loved Facetiming her kids and grandkids,' the obituary said.