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Editor: Rod Sullivan
Profession: Maritime Attorney

Category: Boating Accidents

Two small children, age 2 and age 8, died when their boat sunk on Lake Yale.

The family of five had gone boating on the lake in their 16 foot boat. When the boat began to sink, the father tried to start the bilge pump, which didn't work. Then 36-year-old Eric Singleton, grabbed his 3-month-old daughter and took about four hours to swim about 300 yards to the shore. He had to hike about a mile before he found a house in Umatilla and called 911.

The mother, Michelle, held onto the bow of the boat with the children as long as she could before the choppy waters and weariness caused her to let go. She said before she lost sight of the children, 8-year-old Eric Jr. was trying to put on his life vest.

Rescuers found the children's mother, Michelle, treading water about 200 yards from the sunken boat. She had been in the water for about five hours. The two children were not found, although two child sized life preservers were.

The law requires children under 6 to be wearing life preservers while a boat is moving. The FWC is considering charging the parents for failing to have the life preservers on their children. They've had enough tragedy. Leave them alone, please.