Home / Disasters and Accidents / Teen Best Friends Perish in Florida Park Dig Site Collapse
Teen Best Friends Perish in Florida Park Dig Site Collapse
13 Jan
Summary
- Two 14-year-old best friends died in a park hole collapse.
- The boys were digging in sugar sand for two weeks.
- First responders took 30 minutes to free the trapped teens.
Tragedy struck Sportsman Park in Inverness, Florida, last Saturday when two 14-year-old best friends, George Watts and Derrick Hubbard, were killed in a sudden sand collapse. The inseparable duo had been digging a hole in the park's sugar sand for two weeks before the fateful accident. The Citrus County Sheriff's Office reported that the boys were several feet down when the sugar sand gave way, trapping them.
First responders worked diligently for approximately half an hour to excavate the teenagers. Paramedics were unable to save Derrick Hubbard, who was pronounced dead at the scene. George Watts was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition, but his family made the heartbreaking decision to take him off life support on Monday afternoon, with his mother confirming he would be an organ donor.
The Inverness Middle School community is devastated by the loss, with the school district providing crisis support. A joint GoFundMe has been established to aid both families in covering funeral arrangements and other unforeseen expenses. The incident serves as a somber reminder of the unpredictable nature of childhood adventures.
