13-Year-Old Maryland Boy Dies After Being Swept into Storm Drain While Playing amid ‘Rapidly Rising Floodwaters’

A 13-year-old Maryland boy has died after being swept into a storm drain during severe flooding that struck the state this week.

On the evening of Thursday, July 31, the Mount Airy Police Department confirmed it responded to a distress call around 5:20 p.m., alongside the Mount Airy Volunteer Fire Company, after receiving reports of “an individual” trapped in a storm drain near the 201 W. Watersville Apartments.

In a statement posted to Facebook, Chief Michael Ginevra said the incident occurred amid “rapidly rising floodwaters.”

According to Ginevra, local police and firefighters joined forces with the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office and “other emergency responders” who “worked tirelessly in an attempt to rescue the individual.”

The Mount Airy Volunteer Fire Company later confirmed to PEOPLE that the victim was a 13-year-old boy who lived in the nearby apartment complex.

“Despite their heroic efforts, the operation transitioned from a rescue to a recovery,” the department said in a statement. “The individual was ultimately recovered from the storm drain but, unfortunately, succumbed to injuries sustained during the event.”

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim’s family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time,” Ginevra added. “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.”

The Mount Airy Volunteer Fire Company told 11 News that the victim had been playing with a group of children during the flash flooding when he was swept away.

According to the outlet, a bystander later discovered the boy’s body, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Maggie McBain, a nearby resident, told the outlet that she witnessed the incident while driving past. “I flew out of the car, jumped into the water and started yanking on him. We just couldn’t get him out,” she recalled.

Doug Alexander, public information officer for the fire company, emphasized the sudden intensity of the storm. “It rained really hard,” he said. “The water came up very quickly.”

Speaking to CBS Baltimore affiliate WJZ, Alexander noted that the boy was already “waist deep” in floodwaters by the time emergency crews arrived.

“The pipe is so small, and this is a child’s body that fits in there, was pushed in there by the current,” he explained. “The current was extremely strong, according to the guys who were on the scene here. I’ve been with the Mt. Airy Fire Department for 58 years, and this is one of the worst situations I’ve seen.”

Chadwick Colson, another local resident, told WJZ his home also flooded during the storm. Referring to the area where the drain is located, he said water often “really kind of comes through here, like a river” when it rains.

“You would think it would be some type of metal bars, metal grate, something blocking the hole,” Colson said.

He also spoke to WBFF, saying he saw the victim and another child playing shortly before the flooding began.

WJZ reported that the incident was part of a larger wave of flash flooding across Maryland, which left multiple people stranded and requiring rescue from vehicles.