MEARS, Mich. — A 12-year-old Petoskey boy is recovering after he was buried in a sand dune at Silver Lake State Park on Sunday evening.
Deputies say the incident happened around 7:40 p.m. at a family gathering. The 12-year-old boy and his 8-year-old brother were outside playing when they began digging in the sand dune.
The 12-year-old had been in a hole that was about five feet deep when the hole collapsed, deputies say. The boy was completely covered in sand.
The 8-year-old began yelling for their parents, who began trying to dig him out.
First responders said the family was still attempting to uncover the boy when they arrived, but he was entirely covered by the dune.
The 12-year-old was pulled from the sand with the help of first responders and bystanders. He was reportedly unresponsive and not breathing, but had a faint heartbeat. Lt. Shane Hasty with the Oceana County Sheriff's Office said he was buried for about 14 minutes.
He was taken to a hospital for treatment by Aero Med, where he remains on Monday.
"We hope that this young man recovers fully and we be out playing with his brother again soon," reads a release from the Oceana County Sheriff's Office. "We are very thankful for our partnerships with all of the agencies who responded. This was a difficult scene and everyone did a fantastic job."
Hasty said the help of family members and bystanders attempting to rescue the boy helped save his life.
"It greatly benefited the child," Hasty said. "It sounds like once it was a witnessed collapse and people began digging, and also people were calling 911, to get further assistance on the way."
Deputies clarified in the release that this incident did not involve a sinkhole or any other sand phenomenon. It is safe to walk on the dunes.
This comes about two weeks after a 33-year-old mother pushed her toddler out of the way of an out-of-control vehicle and died at Silver Lake State Park over Memorial Day weekend.
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