In a tragic turn of events, two young siblings died after falling into the fast currents of a creek in San Bernardino County. The unfortunate occurrence occurred near the Thurman Flats picnic area off Highway 38, when the two children, ages two and four, were on a trip with their mother.
According to the San Bernardino County Fire Department, the 4-year-old daughter went into the flowing water while her mother was tending to her younger brother.
In the turmoil that erupted, the mother looked desperately for her daughter but was unable to find her. Tragically, when she returned, she realised that her kid was also missing, believed to have been swept river.
Despite strenuous attempts by the mother and another family member, the siblings remained elusive. A large-scale search and rescue operation was launched, involving deputies from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, air rescue crews, and US Forest Service personnel.
After a frantic search, the 4-year-old daughter was found at 4:39 p.m., followed by the retrieval of her 2-year-old sibling some 30 minutes later. Video footage recorded the terrifying scenario as rescue workers performed CPR on one of the toddlers before transferring them to nearby hospitals.
Despite significant efforts to save them, both children were tragically declared dead. The tragic loss serves as a sharp reminder of the hazards posed by fast-moving waterways, leaving a community in mourning and a family devastated by grief. Further information about the incident was not immediately available.