A 13-year-old boy from Mount Airy, Maryland, has died after being swept into a storm drain during flash flooding caused by torrential rainstorms on Thursday, July 31.
According to officials, the incident occurred around 5:20PM near the Watersville Road apartment complex where the boy lived, PEOPLE reports.
Authorities say he had been playing with a group of other children when "rapidly rising floodwaters" overwhelmed the area. Within minutes, a grassy area where the kids were playing turned into a powerful, fast-moving torrent.
“All of a sudden, the water got rushing faster and faster,” said Doug Alexander, public information officer for the Mount Airy Volunteer Fire Company. “It was raining torrentially, and in no time, the water was 5 feet deep.” Alexander noted that a nearby stormwater pond had begun to overflow, intensifying the flooding.
“Water was just rolling in from each side. The pressure from that water was so much that the child could not get out. It was pushing him into the pipe," Alexander added.
Police ID teen
Following the tragedy, police have since identified the young teen at 13-year-old Mason Kearns.
Mason's family is holding a candlelight vigil on Sunday at 8:00PM at Watkins Park at 615 Center St., Mount Airy. All are welcome to attend.
"Mason was the kindest, funniest, most optimistic young man. An avid skateboarder and animal lover, loyal to all who he cherished. There is now a darkness in our family where his light used to shine," a GoFundMe page for the teen's family reads.
As of this writing, more than $39,000 has been raised to cover "funeral, burial, celebration of life, health services, and other expenses".
Storm drain too small to escape
Emergency responders from the Mount Airy Police Department, the Volunteer Fire Company, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, and other agencies rushed to the scene.
About 50 firefighters and police officers worked together in an attempt to save Mason, pumping water from the area and trying to access the storm drain where he had become trapped, The Washington Post reports.
The pipe, officials said, was about 18 to 20 inches in diameter. “They could feel him, but they couldn’t get him out,” said Alexander. “He was stuck in the pipe.”
Chief Michael Ginevra of the Mount Airy Police Department confirmed that despite the intense efforts of rescuers, the operation transitioned from a rescue to a recovery. The teen was ultimately recovered from the drain but “unfortunately, succumbed to injuries sustained during the event.”
Community in mourning
Mason lived in the adjacent apartment complex - his front door being roughly 20 feet away from the drain - and neighbors described seeing him moments before the tragedy.
Maggie McBain, a neighbor who witnessed the rescue attempt, told WBAL: “I flew out of the car, jumped into the water and started yanking on him. We just couldn't get him out.”
"I tried my hardest," McBain heartbreakingly added.
Chadwick Colson, another neighbor, told WJZ that he saw Mason and another child playing as the storm began. “You would think it would be some type of metal bars, metal grate, something blocking the hole,” he added, referencing the storm drain where the teenager was pulled in.
Chief Ginevra posted a statement on Facebook offering condolences: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim’s family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. We ask the community to keep them in their hearts and to recognize the dedication of the first responders who answered the call without hesitation.”
A devastating storm across the region
Mount Airy recorded roughly four inches of rain on Thursday afternoon — among the highest totals in the region. Flash flooding affected large portions of the East Coast, uprooting trees, shutting down roads, and causing hundreds of flight cancellations. In Montgomery County, Maryland, emergency crews rescued an eight-year-old child standing on a submerged car with a woman and a two-year-old trapped inside.
Firefighters described the Potomac-area rescue as a “high-stakes incident under rapidly changing conditions.” Elsewhere, in Washington, D.C., a driver was treated after a tree fell on their vehicle during the storm.
The National Weather Service reported that rainfall reached rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour in parts of Fairfax, Montgomery, and Frederick counties. The Mount Airy incident occurred during the height of the downpour.
Investigation and support ongoing
The Mount Airy Police Department and local officials have not released further information about the storm drain’s infrastructure or whether any safety improvements will be made. The incident has prompted calls from residents for better protective grates or barriers over stormwater inlets in residential areas.
Over 100 people have left messages of condolence on the police department’s Facebook page, praising the tireless efforts of first responders and mourning the loss of a young life.
Our thoughts go out to the Mason's family and loved ones at this time.