RM boy dies after falling into partially frozen pond
Published 8:20 am Thursday, January 24, 2019
A 9-year-old Roan Mountain boy has died after being pulled from a pond near his home on Blue Grass Road Tuesday afternoon.
According to a report filed by the Carter County Sheriff’s Dept., Deputies Mark McClain and Mckenly Berry responded to a call at 415 Blue Grass Road, Roan Mountain, in reference to the boy, who had fallen into a pond, which was partially frozen over. Deputy Berry, the first on the scene, had to break the ice to reach the boy, whose face and head were under the ice. He grabbed the boy, who was unresponsive and took him to the edge of the pond, where CPR was administered by members of the Carter County Rescue Squad, who had arrived on the scene.
The boy was flown by WINGS to the Johnson City Medical Center, where he later died.
Deputy McClain said he was told by a neighbor, Jerry Brown, that he had been contacted by the boy’s sister, Eve Young, who told him that her brother, Daius Young, had fallen into the pond and was unable to get out.
Brown’s wife Denise called 911 and he ran to the pond and attempted to rescue the boy but was unsuccessful.
The boy’s mother, Jennifer Young, told officers Daius and his brother, Anaiah Young, 11, went outside to play while she stayed inside with her other three children. The mother told officers she was unsure how much time had passed before Anaiah came frantically running to the house and screaming that Daius had fallen into the pond and was unable to get out.
She said that she called 911 while running to the pond and her daughter, Eve, ran to the neighbors to get help. The mother said she attempted to enter the pond to rescue her son, but was unsuccessful.
When Deputy Berry arrived, the neighbor, Jerry Brown, was in the pond attempting to rescue the boy. He secured Young and brought him back to the edge and then attempted to resuscitate Daius.
It is unclear how long the boy had been in the water or under the water when officers and rescue personnel arrived.
Also responding to the call were Deputy Hal Adair and Patrolman William Staschak.