Best friends buried alive in deadly sand tunnel collapse

It began as the kind of idyllic afternoon that parents across the country strive to provide for their children: an escape from screens, a venture into the fresh air, and a day of boundless imagination. But for two families in Citrus County, about 70 miles north of Tampa, a simple day of play at Sportsman’s Park ended in a catastrophic loss that has left the community of Inverness paralyzed with grief.

George Watts and Derrick “DJ” Hubbard, both 14, were inseparable—best friends whose bond was often described as more fraternal than platonic. On a recent afternoon, the pair were exploring near a sandpit, an activity that seemed entirely benign.

“They were just kids,” Corey Edwards, their coach and mentor through the 352 Legends program, told FOX 13. “They were just kids doing what we try to tell kids to do: ‘Get outside and play.’”

From Carefree to Catastrophic

The boys had dug a hole estimated to be four to five feet deep when the unthinkable occurred. Without warning, the surrounding “sugar sand”—a fine, dry, and notoriously unstable sediment—collapsed. In an instant, the teenagers were entombed beneath thousands of pounds of suffocating weight.

The alarm was raised when the boys failed to answer their phones for lunch. Their parents, including Derrick’s mother, Destiny Rogers, rushed to the park only to find a haunting sight: the boys’ bicycles and shoes sitting abandoned near the pit. Realizing the horror of the situation, the families began a frantic search, digging into the earth with their bare hands until first responders arrived to take over the rescue effort.

A Final Honor Walk

The recovery was a race against time. George was pulled from the sand first; he had a pulse but was unconscious and unable to breathe. He was airlifted to UF Health Shands in Gainesville in critical condition. Derrick was recovered moments later, but he had no pulse and was pronounced dead shortly after reaching the hospital.

Two days later, at 4:25 a.m. on a Tuesday morning, George also succumbed to his injuries.

In the wake of his passing, the Watts family turned their private agony into a final act of grace. George’s mother, Jasmine Watts, chose to donate his organs. The hospital fell silent for an “honor walk,” a somber tribute where medical staff lined the corridors to respect a young life that would now save others.

“Standing with our family during such an incredibly difficult moment showed us how much compassion exists in this world,” Jasmine later shared in a public message of gratitude.

The Hidden Danger of ‘Sugar Sand’

As the community gathers to support the families through fundraisers and memorials, a stark warning is emerging for parents everywhere. The tragedy has shed light on the structural instability of dry sand, a hazard often overlooked in favor of more obvious dangers.

“Dry sand is not stable and it can collapse,” explained a lifeguard from Clearwater Fire Rescue, noting that sand’s extreme weight can cause immediate respiratory failure upon collapse.

Family friend Zachariah Roberson is now on a mission to ensure that George and Derrick’s legacy includes a life-saving lesson for other families. He is urging parents to have difficult, specific conversations about the physics of the ground beneath their feet.

“They were boys that were playing and having fun. There was no crazy circumstance that led to this,” Roberson said. “If there’s something I could say, it’s to make sure you have this conversation with your kids. Because awareness, now more than ever, can save lives.”

George Watts and Derrick Hubbard went out to play and never came home. They leave behind a local flag football championship legacy, a community united in mourning, and a heartbreaking reminder that even the most innocent adventures require a watchful eye on the hidden dangers of the natural world.