RFK Jr. Swims in Contaminated Creek with Grandchildren

The United States Health Secretary celebrated Mother's Day this past Sunday with his children and grandchildren in Washington, D.C., by taking a hike in Dumbarton Oaks Park.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. chose to spend Mother's Day with his family outdoors, enjoying a hike in Dumbarton Oaks Park, and sharing photos of the adventure on X.

"Mother's Day hike in Dumbarton Oaks Park with Amaryllis, Bobby, Kick, and Jackson, and a swim with my grandchildren, Bobcat and Cassius in Rock Creek," he captioned the post.

However, a worrisome aspect of the trip shows Kennedy with his grandchildren taking a dip in the Dumbarton Oaks Park creek. Dumbarton is a downstream tributary of Rock Creek, which flows through northwestern Washington, and is used to drain storm water in rainfall and excess sewage.

The National Park Advisory has warned visitors to stay out of the creek for their own safety. "Rock Creek has high levels of bacteria and other infectious pathogens that make swimming, wading, and other contact with the water a hazard to human (and pet) health," the service wrote.

"All District waterways are subject to a swim ban - this means wading, too!" the warning continued, adding that scrambling in and out of water can erode streambanks and compromise aquatic life habitat.

According to the Washington Department of Energy and Environment, swimming in Rock Creek and all its tributaries has been banned for over 50 years due to widespread pollution and environmental degradation. Kennedy has yet to address the situation publicly.