A Miami-Dade County family is devastated after the death of 13-year-old twins with a strong bond. One of them jumped into a lake in Arthur Woodward Park on Friday to try to save his brother who had fallen into the water.
Both miners were taken to hospital, where they later died, leaving a trail of grief in the community of Pinewood in northwest Miami-Dade County.
“When we came back I heard her crying and asked why she was crying and they told me the boys were in the hospital,” said Adlene D’Haiti, who spoke on behalf of the parents. teenagers. “And when I went to the hospital I found they were dead.”
Joanel Paul and Modeline Sereste have identified themselves as the stepfather and mother of Andrew and Alex, who turned 13 in March.
“She was supposed to have them now. Nothing can change, but unfortunately they’re not there,” D’Haiti said.
Miami-Dade Fire Department units arrived at Northwest 99th Street Park after receiving a call that two people were in the water.
The twins were playing near the lake when one fell in the water, a Miami-Dade police spokesperson said at a news conference. Witnesses said another miner pushed him into the lake.
The twin brother of the youngest who fell into the lake then jumped into the water to try to rescue him, but neither could swim and they began to drown.
The two miners were rescued by a team of divers and paramedics administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation before transporting them to hospital.
One of the twins was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital and the other was admitted in serious condition but also later died.
The Florida Department of Children and Families reported 93 underage drownings in 2022. There have already been 22 drownings in the state this year.
“I want everyone to try to get their kids to learn to swim,” D’Haiti said.