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 last week.

On the evening of Thursday, July 31, the Mount Airy Police Department responded to an emergency call at approximately 5:20 p.m., alongside the Mount Airy Volunteer Fire Company. The report involved a person trapped in a storm drain near 201 W. Watersville Road, an apartment complex in Mount Airy.

In a statement shared on Facebook, Chief Michael Ginevra confirmed that the tragic incident occurred amid “rapidly rising floodwaters.”

Emergency responders from the Mount Airy Police and Fire Departments, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, and additional units worked together in an attempt to rescue the individual. Despite their efforts, the operation ultimately shifted from a rescue to a recovery mission.

The Mount Airy Volunteer Fire Company 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,” police stated. “The individual was ultimately recovered from the storm drain but, unfortunately, succumbed to injuries sustained during the event.”

Chief Ginevra expressed condolences, saying, “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.”

Speaking to 11 News, the fire company noted that the boy had been playing with a group of children during the flash flooding. According to the outlet, a bystander later discovered his body, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Neighbor Maggie McBain described the desperate attempt to save him: “I flew out of the car, jumped into the water and started yanking on him. We just couldn’t get him out.”

Doug Alexander, public information officer for the fire company, told WJZ that intense rainfall led to sudden, dangerous conditions. “The water came up very quickly,” he said, adding that when responders arrived, the boy was already “waist deep” in floodwaters.

“The pipe is so small, and this is a child’s body that fits in there, was pushed in there by the current,” Alexander said. “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 neighbor, told WJZ that his house also flooded during the storm. He described the storm drain’s location, saying water “really kind of comes through here, like a river” when it rains. Colson added that the drain had no protective grate. Speaking to WBFF, he recalled seeing the victim and another child playing in the area shortly before the flooding began.