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Two teenagers who were best friends, according to their relatives, have died after a sand hole they were digging at a Florida park collapsed and buried them for more than an hour, authorities said.
The incident occurred at Sportsman Park in Inverness, Florida, the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office confirmed.
“Our hearts are with both families as they grieve the tremendous loss of their sons,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “We hope the community will continue to respect their privacy and unite in remembering and celebrating both boys.”
The two 14-year-olds were identified on Wednesday, January 14, as George Watts and Derrick Hubbard, according to Florida District 8 and District 5 medical examiners’ offices, which spoke to ABC News.
Authorities said the boys were playing in the park on Sunday, January 11, when a sand hole about five feet deep that they were digging suddenly collapsed, trapping them underground. The emergency was reported at approximately 12:44 p.m. local time.
“The caller reported that two 14-year-old children were lost in the park and that there was a large hole. The caller believed the children were trapped inside the hole,” the sheriff’s office said.
Deputies, firefighters and emergency medical services personnel rushed to the scene. One of the boys’ parents was able to ping a cellphone, helping responders pinpoint their location beneath the sand, authorities said.
Rescuers pulled both boys from the collapsed hole around 1:15 p.m. and immediately began cardiopulmonary resuscitation. They were transported by ambulance to HCA Florida Citrus Hospital in Inverness.
Derrick Hubbard was pronounced dead on Sunday, January 11, authorities said. George Watts later died at the hospital on Tuesday afternoon, January 13.
“In a tragic accident, we lost our oldest son, George Watts, and his best friend, Derrick Hubbard,” Watts’ mother, Jasmine Watts, wrote on a GoFundMe page created to help cover funeral expenses.
“These two boys shared a bond that went beyond friendship. They were inseparable, full of life, curiosity and dreams for the future.”
Both boys were students at Inverness Middle School. In a statement, the school said the tragedy had deeply affected the school and wider district community.
“This situation has deeply affected many within our school and district community,” the statement said, adding that counselors, social workers and psychologists were made available to students this week “as we navigate this difficult time together.”
