The Linn County Sheriff's Office increasingly relies on its drone fleet to perform search and security tasks. It was the deputies using the small aircraft that were able to find traces of the movement of two boys that led to searchers finding their bodies. (Journal file photo)
Journal staff report
MOUND CITY – Funeral services for two children who died as a result of falling through the ice as they were walking across an otherwise frozen lake were held over the weekend. However, that is hardly the end of a tragic story that will affect their family, friends, school staff, and first responders, for a lifetime.
Over the past week dozens of area families and businesses have made donations to help the families of 9-year-old Bowonn Owen and 8-year-old Keagan Grubb with expenses by going to Schneider Funeral Home’s website. So far, though, not all of the expenses have been covered.
To make a donation, go to https://www.schneiderfunerals.com/obituaries and click on either boy’s obituary for more information.
The crisis team for the Jayhawk school district was called into action the day after the accident to help classmates, teachers and staff at Jayhawk Elementary School deal with the loss. The district brought in counselors and pastors to help those affected deal with their grief.
However, dealing with the death of children, especially under tragic circumstances can be hard on first responders as well.
Two days after the accident the sheriff’s office held a critical incident debriefing for the first responders who responded to the incident. The critical incident debriefing was conducted by two peer support specialists from the Linn County Sheriff’s Office and one peer support specialist from the Miami County Sheriff’s Office. Multiple first responders including law enforcement, dispatchers, and firefighters participated in the debriefing.
Linn County Undersheriff Bobby Johnson on Monday, Feb. 3, issued a release about the events that occurred on the evening of Jan. 27 that led to the grim discovery in the Lake Chaparral development.
As initially reported in the Journal, the county emergency dispatchers were notified at about 8 p.m. that the two boys had been missing for several hours. Deputies arrived shortly after the call was received, and quickly called for the Linn County Fire Department to help in the search.
“While speaking with the families of the two juveniles,” the release said, “it was determined that both juveniles, who were males 8 and 9 years of age, had told their parents that they were going to the others house, leading the parents to believe they were at their friends’ residence. The parents assisted the first responders in identifying areas that they believed the juveniles likely frequented.”
A deputy discovered a bicycle on top the ice of Lake De Lago leading searchers to believe the boys had been around the lake. The deputies used an aerial drone that has infrared capabilities to search above the ice, and the Overland Park Police dive team and the Kansas Wildlife and Parks underwater drone unit were called for assistance.
“While searching for the area where the bicycle was discovered, a civilian contacted the Sheriff’s Office stating that they had discovered two holes in the ice across the lake from where the first responders were searching,” the release said. “Tragically, the two juveniles were discovered deceased in that area by the Sheriff’s Office aerial drone operators. The scene was held until the Overland Park Police Dive Team could retrieve the two juveniles from the icy water.”
The sheriff’s office drone team found several tracks on the ice that led investigators to believe that the two juveniles were on the ice at the location of the bicycle. However, while walking across the lake they fell through the ice.
“Even though the official coroners report has not been completed this incident is believed to be a tragic accident,” the release said.
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends that have been affected by this tragedy,” Johnson said in the release.
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