12-year-old boy hospitalized after sand hole collapsed on him at Michigan park
A 12-year-old boy is hospitalized after he was buried under sand at a Michigan park.
The victim and his 8-year-old brother were digging holes and burying each other in the dunes at Silver Lake State Park in Mears, Michigan, on Sunday, according to the Oceana County Sheriff's Office. One of the holes, which was about 5 feet deep, collapsed on the 12-year-old boy.
"The brother who witnessed what had just occurred yelled for help, and the parents who were there immediately began calling for help and digging," the sheriff's office said.
Oceana Sheriff's Office deputies received the alert at about 7:00 p.m. A Golden Township deputy, who was on the scene, responded within two minutes.
More:7-year-old girl dies after hole in sand collapses on her at Florida beach
Child was buried for approximately 14 minutes
Upon arrival, the deputy saw the family trying to get the child out, but he was "not visible," the Oceana County Sheriff's Office said. First responders − including Fire and EMS −and bystanders worked together to extract him from the sand.
Lt. Shane Hasty told USA TODAY that the boy was under for approximately 14 minutes.
When the child was removed, he was unresponsive and not breathing. Officials treated him at the scene. As of Monday, the boy is being treated at DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids, according to the sheriff's office.
"We hope that this young man recovers fully and be out playing with his brother again soon," the sheriff's office said. "We are very thankful for our partnership with all the agencies who responded."
Silver Lake State Park is a popular getaway where visitors can participate in different activities, such as going to the beach, driving the dunes, kayaking, playing arcade games, or climbing The Little Sable Lighthouse.
7-year-old died in sand incident at a Florida beach
Earlier this year, a 7-year-old girl died after a hole she and her brother were digging on the beach collapsed. The incident happened in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea in February.
The girl was buried, while her brother was buried to his chest. Both children were transported to a hospital, but the girl didn't survive.
Speaking to NBC Miami, Dr. Stephen Leatherman of Florida International University warned that digging deep holes could be risky and even a "death trap."
"If you're gonna dig a hole in the sand, make sure it's no more than two feet deep. When people dig holes more than two feet deep and get in them, at least where their body's below the sand level, sand starts drying out immediately," Leatherman told the outlet. "And dry sand can only hold a 33-degree angle, and people dig these holes almost vertically."
Leatherman said that the hole could start to cave in quickly and ultimately collapse.
Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at [email protected]