AVANT OKLAHOMA, two young boys in Osage County died over the weekend after falling through a frozen creek while playing outdoors, relatives and authorities said.
Talon “Michael Wayne” Whinery, 8, and Emmett Bennett, 9, fell through the frozen waters of Bird Creek in Avant on Saturday evening, Feb. 7, according to News On 6.
The Osage County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were dispatched to the area around 7:13 p.m. after receiving a report that one of the children had been found in the water near the bank of Bird Creek.
The child was pulled from the creek, and lifesaving measures were immediately attempted. Despite those efforts, the boy was pronounced dead a short time later, authorities said.
Emergency crews then launched a large-scale search for the second child. Police said dozens of responders used ground teams, aerial drones, and a specialized rescue boat to search the creek for several hours.
The second boy was later found dead in the water, authorities confirmed.
While law enforcement officials had not formally released the children’s names, separate GoFundMe pages identified Talon Whinery and Emmett Bennett as the boys who died in the incident.
It was not immediately clear how the boys came to be playing near the creek or the exact circumstances that led to them falling through the ice.
Following the tragedy, authorities issued warnings urging residents to stay away from frozen bodies of water, noting that ice conditions can be extremely unpredictable and dangerous.
In a statement, the Osage County Sheriff’s Office expressed condolences to the families and the Avant community, saying incidents involving children are among the most difficult situations first responders face.
“As winter conditions continue, the Osage County Sheriff’s Office urges the public to avoid walking, playing, or operating vehicles on frozen bodies of water,” the statement said. “Ice conditions can be unpredictable and extremely dangerous, even when they appear solid.”
An investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
