The boys, both 14, were found under 4 to 5 feet of sand near Sportsman Park in Inverness, officials said.
INVERNESS, FL — Two middle school students died after a hand-dug sand tunnel collapsed on them Sunday afternoon at a park area near Sportsman Park in Citrus County, the sheriff’s office said. One boy was pronounced dead shortly after he was pulled from the sand; the second died at a hospital Tuesday.
The teens were identified by family members as Derrick Hubbard Jr. and George Watts, both 14 and students at Inverness Middle School. Deputies, firefighters and emergency medical crews responded after relatives searching the area found the boys’ bicycles and shoes but not the boys. The case is being handled as a tragic accident, according to officials, with no evidence of foul play. The collapse has shaken this small city north of Tampa and prompted grief counseling at the school as friends, teachers and coaches mourn the pair described as inseparable.
Authorities said the boys had been digging in fine “sugar sand” at a spot near the park, shaping a tunnel that reached nearly five feet deep before the walls caved in. Family members grew alarmed when calls went unanswered Sunday and drove to the park, where they spotted the abandoned bikes and a disturbed patch of sand. First responders used shovels and rescue tools to reach the teens, who were buried beneath several feet of sand. Watts was located first and carried to waiting medics; Hubbard was uncovered minutes later. “They were best friends who loved being outside,” a relative said, describing a frantic search that ended with flashing lights and a ring of neighbors watching in silence.
Deputies said both boys showed no signs of trauma beyond the collapse. Medics performed CPR and rushed one teen to a hospital in critical condition while the other was declared dead shortly after being found. The surviving boy remained on life support through Monday as relatives gathered with clergy and school staff. He died early Tuesday, according to the family. Citrus County Sheriff’s Office investigators interviewed witnesses, reviewed 911 recordings and photographed the site, which sits next to athletic fields frequently used by local youth leagues. Officials said the chamber appeared to be a hand-dug tunnel in loose sand with thin roof spans, and that the collapse was sudden. Exact times for each recovery were not immediately released.
Records from the school district confirmed both boys attended Inverness Middle School, which notified families and arranged grief counseling on campus. Coaches and neighbors described the teens as “old souls” who rode bikes, fished and preferred being outdoors. The sheriff’s office said the site is not an active construction zone and carries no posted warnings specific to sand tunneling. While officials did not provide an engineering analysis, they noted that loosely packed sand can shift under its own weight, especially after recent moisture or repeated digging in the same area. Relatives said the boys had visited the spot before and treated it like a backyard fort area.
The medical examiner will determine official causes of death. Investigators said there is no criminal probe underway and no charges are expected. City officials said they will review maintenance practices and signage at the park and coordinate with the school district on outreach to students. A memorial gathering was held outside UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville on Wednesday morning as the community honored the teens. School leaders said additional counselors will stay on campus through the week and that a moment of silence will be observed at upcoming games at the adjacent fields. Funeral arrangements are being planned by the families and had not been announced by Thursday afternoon.
At the park Wednesday, bouquets leaned against a chain-link fence and hand-lettered posters fluttered in a light breeze. A baseball coach left two caps on the infield, one for each boy. “They were just being kids,” said a neighbor who often saw them ride by with fishing poles. “They were polite, helpful and always together.” A classmate taped a note that read, “Best friends forever,” adding two first names and a drawn heart. Parents pushed strollers past the sand lot and paused to watch workers smooth the ground. “It doesn’t feel real,” said another neighbor, her voice low. “Everyone knows everyone here.”
The investigation remains administrative and medical in scope, with final autopsy findings pending. City and school officials said updates on memorials and any site changes will be shared after the families set services. As of Thursday, a makeshift memorial remained at the park, and counselors planned to visit classrooms again Friday. No further briefings were scheduled, but officials said they will release documents once reports are complete.
Author note: Last updated January 15, 2026.