Heartbreaking
Child Dies Digging Sand Tunnel With Brother at Jersey Shore
Not the sand tunnel in story
but just as dangerousThis story may make you never want to go to the beach with your kids again. And it's not about a shark attack or a drowning in the water. A 12-year-old boy named Ezra Cornman has died after a sand tunnel he was digging with his brother collapsed on him. His mother was there with her sons, and lifeguards were also just 15 feet away, as the boys were digging, digging, and digging in the sand in Long Branch at the Jersey Shore. It's something I've seen just about every time I've been to a beach. Kids and even adults digging. Burying each other. Having fun.
But this time it ended in tragedy. When reports first came out about the sand tunnel collapse, the boy was in pediatric intensive care, but as time went on the story became even more horrific.
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What we know is that he wasn't breathing when he was pulled out of the sand on Tuesday. Witnesses reported that blood was coming out of the child's nose as lifeguards tried and tried to revive him. They tried CPR, but he was lifeless. He and his brother dug a tunnel that was two to three feet deep, and apparently the weight of all the sand collapsing on him made breathing impossible. He died the next day.
All I keep thinking is that I don't want my kids to dig sand tunnels ever. Or bury each other in the sand ever. Two things that almost all kids want to do at the beach. Something so common. Seemingly harmless. But it's not. Mom was right there most likely enjoying the sun while her two sons played together. In a moment, everything changed. In a moment, terror.
Emergency vehicles were called to take the child to Monmouth Medical Center, and horrifically when one fire truck arrived, it hit a man who was holding his infant son. It could have been worse but the father had broken limbs and the baby was not severely injured. It was reported that the firefighter driving the truck was on his final shift before retirement.
The whole scene is just unimaginable.
The pain the mother must feel from losing her son in such a way. The what ifs the child's brother will live with forever. I pray for them, for the family. No one could have predicted such a terrible tragedy could result from two boys playing in the sand.
Does this story make you worried about how your kids play at the beach?
Image via popofatticus/Flickr
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Pinkmani
How unfortunate! Another young life lost... Call me harsh or uncompassionate, but where were the child's parents/guardian?
Cynthia Parten
The mother was right there. There was nothing she could have done. They did everything they could. I am sure the mother blames herself enough. But sometimes accidents happen. This is a horrible tragedy.
work4mickey
The parents were right there.The term "tunnel" is a bit of a misnomer. It was really more of a deep hole, 2-3 feet deep. The child was crushed by the sand, and note that is was an older child, 12 years old. Many of us would think nothing of our child digging deep holes, so long as it's not over their head. For another matter, even if the mom had not been there, nany of us would let our 12 year old go to the beach with friends without us.
work4mickey
AerisKate
This is so sad. I was just reading about the dangers of this the other day in an article called "Things Life Guards Want You to Know" or something similar. It was saying that mos people do not know how dangerous it is to dig tunnels and holes at the beach and that people shouldn't do it. Once you get down below like a foot, the sand is not stable and will collapse. I know that I had never heard about that before. From now on, I'll let my kids build sand castles but that's it.
Ocgirl19
LovinJerseyMama
Rachel Humphrey
Why the hell would the parents allow him to dig a hole big enought to get into and even have the chance of collaping in on him. My parents would have NEVER allowed our head to be cover at any point in time where sand would or could cover our face. We dug holes we could sit in, we dug tunnals where water could go through.... never more than a foot deep... WTH was she thinking...
kj030377
Yes, this is a tragedy. I know that just in the blink of an eye things can happen. My family will be praying for comfort and strength for the parents and the brother. Yes, this should not have happened, but as we all know you can not point fingers and do the should haves. That is not going to help. All we can do is pray for the family and show we care.
for there lost.
Maevelyn
Tunnel digging, from the article I read, had only cause 20 deaths from 1990 to 2010. Not exactly common but definately a risk that is easly avoided.