Boy, 8, falls into large, watery sinkhole; dad says "I went crazy"
VICTORVILLE, Calif. -- An 8-year-old boy sustained minor injuries after falling into a watery sinkhole Sunday afternoon, reports CBS Los Angeles.
The fall occurred before 3:12 p.m. near an apartment complex. According to Victorville police, the boy’s mother called police to report that her son had fallen into the sinkhole and couldn’t get out.
Police and San Bernardino County Fire Department crews responded to find the boy stuck in a hole about 10 feet deep and five feet wide, with two feet of water on the bottom.
The parents of the boy told KCAL9 they were incredibly scared during the ordeal.
“I went crazy,” said Henry Camarena, the boy’s father. “It was the worst experience of my life, actually.”
Camarena said his son, Aiden, was taking out the trash, with his younger sister running behind him, when he ran onto a sandy area. He was waiting for his sister to catch up when the ground gave way and fell out of sight. His sister ran back inside, screaming for help.
Firefighters used a rope to pull Aiden out to safety. He was taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation, but had no major injuries. He has since returned home.
The recent rainfall likely softened the ground and created the hole, the fire department said. City of Victorville Public Works crews were called in to evaluate the sinkhole, police said.
