Two 7-year-olds die after falling into ice-covered pond, NC cops say

Two children died after falling together through the fragile ice covering a rural pond, according to investigators in eastern North Carolina.

It happened around 5:30 p.m. Sunday near Richlands, which is about a 105-mile drive southeast from downtown Raleigh.

Identities of the children have not been released.

“Deputies responded to Mayberry Lane after receiving a 911 call regarding two 7-year-old juveniles who had fallen into a frozen pond,” the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office said in a Feb. 9 news release.

“A family member was able to remove one of the juveniles from the water prior to the arrival of first responders. The second juvenile was quickly located and removed from the water by responding emergency personnel.”

First responders from multiple agencies initiated life-saving measures before the children were taken to Naval Medical Center at Camp Lejeune, officials said.

“Despite the extensive efforts of first responders and medical staff, both juveniles tragically succumbed to their injuries. The incident has been ruled an accident,” the sheriff’s office said.

Maps show Mayberry Lane is a sparsely populated dead-end road. Multiple large ponds are located in wooded areas along the road.

Ponds in the region froze over during a Jan. 31 snow storm that brought more than 16 inches of snow to parts of North Carolina.

“This is a heartbreaking day for our community,” Onslow County Sheriff Chris Thomas said in a release. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family as they face an unimaginable loss. We are also keeping our deputies, first responders, and everyone involved in this response in our thoughts, as incidents like this affect all of us deeply.”

This story was originally published February 10, 2026 at 6:42 AM.