Two teens have sadly died after being buried alive. The best friends were digging a sand hole when it suddenly collapsed, burying them. The two teens tragically passed away.
14-year-old George Watts and Derrick Hubbard dug a 5-foot-deep hole in the sand at Sportsman Park in Inverness on Sunday. They were in the hole when the sand collapsed. The Citrus County Sheriff's Office and Medical Examiners told ABC that the boys' parents found their shoes in the sand hole but couldn't locate the boys.
First responders came to the scene. But it took less than an hour to find the teens. Sadly, they died later at the hospital from their injuries. Watts's mother, Jasmine Watts, remembered the teens.
Teens Buried Alive
"In a tragic accident, we lost our oldest son, George Watts, and his best friend, Derrick Hubbard. These two boys shared a bond that went beyond friendship — they were inseparable, full of life, curiosity, and dreams for the future," Jasmine Watts wrote in a GoFundMe statement. The two were best friends.
"While playing together, the boys dug a tunnel in sugar sand and were inside when it suddenly collapsed. In an instant, our world was shattered," she said. "What should have been another day of childhood adventure turned into a heartbreaking loss that no parent should ever have to endure. Our precious boys were taken from us far too soon."
Meanwhile, Iverness Middle School also mourned the teens.
"This situation has deeply affected many within our school and district community," the school said in a statement.
Digging holes in the sand can be deadly. In 2024, a girl died after a sand hole died at Lauderdale-by-the-Sea in Fort Lauderdale. In 2022, an 18-year-old died in Jersey Shore after his sand hole also collapsed. Experts warn that sand can cave in without warning, leading to tragedies.
