Shock, grief and sadness in northwest Miami-Dade County as twin brothers died in a lake after one jumped into the water trying to save the other, but none could swim and they began to drown.
Speaking in Creole, Modeline Sereste reiterated that she was “alive dead” after the tragic death of her twins Andrew and Alex Paul who turned 13 in March and drowned in a lake inside Arthur Woodward Park in northwest Miami-Dade County.
“One wanted to be a policeman, the other wanted to be a firefighter, they had a spirit of dedication and joy, they wanted to help.”
Germaine Pier, a person close to the family, said the mother “can’t speak, she’s in shock, she can’t believe the children aren’t there.” She is “very devastated, very sad because the mother was not ready, she went to work and in the afternoon her children are not there”.
Something affirmed by Adlene D’Haiti, another person close to the family, who assures: “I can tell you that especially the mother has a pain that I cannot describe to you, now she cannot even speak, she cries all day and all night, she is devastated.
According to authorities, one of the children fell into the water first, then his brother jumped in to try to save his life. Both children were taken to hospital, where they died, leaving great shock and concern in the community of Pinewood.
The mom is now thinking about the dreams of the children, what the children wanted for her, they wanted to grow up quickly to work and help the mom.
“I want to ask the authorities if you can hear me, please come put a fence on the lake that is safe for our children. I don’t want to see any more victims.”
Faced with this tragedy, the inhabitants of the town are now making an important request to the authorities to avoid other victims.
“When children want to have fun, we must act, build a fence for the safety of children, so that what happened on Friday does not happen again,” said residents of the neighborhood.
“She was supposed to have them now. Nothing can change, but unfortunately they’re not there,” Adlene 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 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. This year, there have already been 22 in the state.
“I want everyone to try to get their kids to learn to swim,” said D’Haiti, who spoke on behalf of the teens’ parents.