Teen Killed After 10-Foot Deep Sand Hole Collapses At New Jersey Beach

A teenage boy died after being trapped by a 10-foot deep sand hole that collapsed at a New Jersey beach. NBC News’ Priscilla Thompson explains how this kind of accident is dangerous and common after a similar death occurred in Utah, three days later.
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#NBCNews #NewJersey #SandHoleCollapse

[@georgestephenopolous5508]

If you dig past 6 feet in hard dirt you're already in danger, 10 ft of sand is crazy

[@asianconnection7701]

this dude was having too much fun ,i dont blame him

[@mattrueworthy1507]

He didn’t dig 10 feet deep that’s how big the hole ended up being

[@tringuyen7519]

Anyone who ever dug a hole for anything knows that sand on a beach is unstable. Dumb way to die…

[@master_baiter1873]

Hard dirt? No

[@theskywalker8416]

imagine dying a painfull death in such a stupid way because of following your cringe tiktoker LOL

[@LMGunslinger]

When I was a kid I ended up being buried under 3 feet of snow. I was shocked by how heavy it was. That was a good experience to have, made me very cognizant of how quick and deadly collapses can happen.

[@thetruepatriot7733]

Very scary... people just don't think things through before doing something. I'm sure the last thing these teens were thinking about was a collapse.

[@evonza4858]

True ❤️🖤💚

[@evonza4858]

@@thetruepatriot7733 true❤️🖤💚

[@MM-wl7zb]

he's getting more clout than your snow incident.

[@evonza4858]

@@MM-wl7zb don't be ignorant ❤️🖤💚

[@MusingsFromTheJohn00]

I had this happen to me as a child, but was lucky because my head was left above the collapsed sand. I could not move anything except my head and had to be dug out. I was lucky I didn't die and never forget how dangerous a hole in the sand can be.

[@andrerl1031]

Cap? Idk as a child your small and not as much sand will be on you. Something seems fishy

[@MusingsFromTheJohn00]

@@andrerl1031 sounds like you have never experienced the situation which (1) makes you lucky and (2) means you underestimate the danger of even loose sand falling upon someone, especially children. Let us hope such lack of understanding never places you or anyone else in danger.

[@andrerl1031]

@@MusingsFromTheJohn00 I mean I never expirences a situation similar to this before so I really can’t say anything. Thanks though It will always be in the back of my mind when I’m in sandy areas

[@MusingsFromTheJohn00]

@@andrerl1031 it can be a killer, because people don't think it is dangerous when it is. When I had the sand incident my mother and my sister, who was 4 years older than I were there and thought nothing of what I was doing. The sand was wet, so it was holding its shape, and I just dug a simple hole maybe 2.5 ft in diameter and 2.5 feet deep. Then, while I was down at the bottom digging deeper, suddenly with no warning, the sides caved in and I was buried to the neck. If I had had my head down when it collapsed, it could have suffocated me. I did a far more dangerous thing as a kid and was also lucky. I was not the best behaved boy. In our backyard I dug a tunnel into the dirt, going down in stages, having a couple passages, and small rooms... all with no wood bracing. The dirt was nice and firm... but if it had collapsed while my friend and I were in it, we would have died. It was not until many years later when I grew up that I realized how dangerous what I did was.

[@burgundyjayde]

Just yesterday in Miami two siblings were in the sand and it collapsed and the girl died the brother lived I can't imagine the fear that they both had and I can't imagine the poster mess traumatic stress that the boy is going to have for the rest of his life absolutely preventable they need to put signs up not to dig they need to put an end to this

[@WithYourMamaInBed]

Literally dug his own grave with the help of his sister

[@werearethedreamteam3724]

its playing the death games without even knowing it..

[@kevinreese8224]

Why tf is anyone digging down ten feet on a beach?

[@judahsue1219]

🤷🏽‍♀️EXACTLY!

[@ukmedicfrcs]

Because they're kids and their brains aren't fully formed yet.

[@judahsue1219]

@@ukmedicfrcs They were young adults not babies, correct? And I don’t believe that they were mentally challenged. 🤷🏽‍♀️

[@ukmedicfrcs]

@@judahsue1219 Again, they're kids and their brains aren't fully formed until they're 25.

[@nelsoncr2817]

@@ukmedicfrcs18 is an adult. One doesn’t need to be 25 to know the dangers of this type of activity.

[@saparisrael2422]

Construction workers don't even dig deep holes without a trench hox

[@regdexter4014]

That’s crazy to dig your own grave

[@gabethedinosaur95]

My dad told me when we were visiting Virginia during our summer vacation a young man Dug a sand hole and he got buried alive 27 years ago. This is sad for this young 18 year old . Rip young man

[@user-xl3fp5js5i]

was his name Doug?

[@silver_lines]

Doug was the sand hole. I see.

[@MM-wl7zb]

wth is a goofy ah 18y old digging holes for. W collapse

[@gabethedinosaur95]

@@user-xl3fp5js5i I meant dug a hole sorry

[@jx14aby]

No, this is not a preventable problem. People will keep doing stupid stuff and dying.

[@jx14aby]

@Jacob Moll Why not?

[@QUITQUITHJAJIDKSK]

Ur so disrespectful.

[@jx14aby]

@@QUITQUITHJAJIDKSK I knew a district attorney who got up on a ladder to clean a vent and got wacked in the head by a ceiling fan. He came to work with two black eyes. He looked like a raccoon. I just thought how he could have been killed and couldn't stop laughing at what the headline in the paper would have said: "District Attorney Killed By Ceiling Fan." Come on, that's funny.

[@QUITQUITHJAJIDKSK]

@@jx14aby it’s not funny-

[@taramiller3236]

So sad, if you grew up with beaches, you'd know the danger...

[@eloise4646]

Sad that this happened, but happy He knew Jesus :)

[@jdaze1]

Psalms 146:3.

[@Pulapaws]

Did he follow him? Jesus clearly said don’t build a house on sand even warn that it will fall and great will be the fall. When he talk you can apply all of it including His laws in all 3 demention of life itself because He is the truth.

[@waffleraptor6401]

@@Pulapaws he didn’t build a house he dug a hole, did you not watch the video?

[@Wigglewonks]

Who let them dig such a big hole!?

[@rarelyaccurate6252]

I'm shocked they were able to dig such a deep hole with Frisbees... perhaps I have no concept of digging sand as I haven't done it in 20 years, but it seems like you would have to move a lot of weight of sand to make a 10 foot hole.

[@jx14aby]

Like my brother always says, "It seemed like a good idea at the time."

[@cocofluff]

Well his father did say his son never cared what anyone thought. So I doubt an adult telling them to stop would have stopped them. Still, two teenagers that old could have googled the risks before doing something so silly.

[@buddhapoquan5859]

Happened to me, I was digging a hole with my brothers who ditched me, I literally had to scream for hours before someone thought I was in danger then I had to tell them to get a smart person who won't cause a cave in or call 911, I was ten and I knew how dangerous it was, told my bros we need to get out, that's when they left me.

[@jx14aby]

@@buddhapoquan5859 Wow! Bet that comes up at Thanksgiving sometimes.

[@ridgebhouse]

10 feet is a deep hole And it must’ve taken them a while to get to that depth -Both of these kids were not children they were almost adults so why were they digging a hole so deep and didn’t anyone see them and say something isn’t right? The son looked like there was something going on with him.Don’t tell me that the parents watched them dig a 10 foot hole?!

[@micholakinola1053]

Right

[@kimthurston777]

Shut up… Somebody is dead don’t pass judgment

[@ridgebhouse]

@@kimthurston777 your missing the point someone shouldn’t be dead there are too many questions unanswered!

[@ALLAHDRINKSCUM]

This guy dug out his own grave

[@alvisserrano9797]

Why dig so deep wtf

[@curiouslyt2123]

Young people are probably attracted to how fast and easy it is to dig through sand but just as sand is easy because it’s loose compared to dirt makes it that much more unstable when loads of it is moved out of place and into a pile. Think about it. As you dig, where do you put the misplaced sand you dig up? You throw it out of the hole but as you get deeper, the less your able to throw it away from the hole especially if you’re only throwing it into one direction and not all around but even then, you still end up with a mound all around your hole as you toss sand upwards and slightly out. Ever seen an anti hill? Exactly. One touch and all those grains of dirt moved by the ants fall into the hole. I don’t expect kids to know better or think before digging though.

[@medicchester]

Parents staring at them, is amazing.

[@songsalon7868]

A 17/18 yr old should know better. How could they not know you can't build a house of sand

[@JojosOasis]

Condolences and prayers to his family. Such a tragedy, no one needs to pass judgment! God bless him.

[@iceethecoinman9783]

I’m amazed you found a Doctor In sand digging! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@roselandebazelais8236]

I didn't know they had dostor in this science either.

[@Pinky-lg3lz]

sand tunnel 'expert'

[@WonderingWildWanderingRose]

doctorate in Civil or Structural Engineering maybe? You know we dig mines, road tunnels, tunnels under water, underground structures, etc., so knowing how different substrates act under force is a valuable science to know expertly. Not really that surprising that they found such an expert when my examples are just off the top of my head, while a real effort would probably yield quite a number of fields that would require this knowledge.

[@janiceguico2857]

Ikr😅😅

[@nicolacruz3537]

i have never thought beaches could bring this tragedy..sand digging safety was too underated

[@hanshart1472]

So sorry for your loss. May this be a lesson to others.

[@trevessence]

Oh!, what an awful tragedy. With sand being as unstable as it is, A 10ft hole was definitely a very bad idea🥺 may the family be comforted. 🙏 🤲

[@trishcooley5810]

I remember being 4 or 5 in Indiana. My brothers had dug tunnels in huge snow drifts - a drift on the side of our 2 story house went almost to the peak of the roof! Anyway, I was looking in the entrance of a tunnel & I instinctively knew not to go in, in case it collapsed. Looking back, I am amazed I was able to think ahead of possible dangerous consequences like that! I think I later told my Mom to warn my brothers & make them destroy the tunnels.

[@ammagnolia]

Some people have good heads on their shoulders. It's weird watching kids play and there's always one who looks before they jump while most just jump. Good for you for having a good head on your shoulders :)

[@DemBlox]

what is a snow drift

[@questionresearch8721]

RIP to him. Wow. I'm impressed by the young very proud of him.

[@dianecelento4974]

This was the best detailed video I've seen on this tragedy.

[@ronniecarson8756]

Rip young man. Prayers for the family.

[@loristewart800]

Very odd story! 🤔. I've been going to the beach since I was a child and the last thing I ever thought of doing was digging holes in the sand!

[@lisaleidy344]

Let alone 10 foot holes! Why would they be doing this?

[@Wigglewonks]

Father said “he didn’t care what other people thought” that was odd, I bet people tried to warn him about digging.

[@westcoastbred7745]

Huh kids dig holes all the time thats normal

[@arliesam948]

@@Wigglewonks he was talking about Christianity which I am apart of also

[@lisaleidy344]

@@westcoastbred7745 but not 10 ft deep holes.

[@RhondaO]

Absolutely horrific.

[@westcoastbred7745]

Not really

[@jx14aby]

Yeah, not a nice way to die. Rather get hit by a bus in a crosswalk.

[@darnellgrape-drinker4916]

@@westcoastbred7745 You should try digging a ten foot hole in sand.

[@RhondaO]

@@westcoastbred7745 Not really? You don't find someone's son being buried alive with a trachea full of sand Horrific? Go find God Buddy

[@debrafirestone861]

@@westcoastbred7745 it’s horrible are you a companiio it person or a creep

[@tbolton6156]

Like literally, digging your own grave.

[@sistaslayage924]

This is so heartbreaking

[@franklinhernandez683]

Especially with no people around him none those b****** used to be filled in the seventies and eighties filled with people that means there's something happened everybody jumped in there was none of this whole back call 911 everybody me I was one of those diggin diggin trying to help somebody to drowning I saved to drowning toddlers all one shot waves taking them away and the parents are sitting there

[@esterbaque7757]

How thing like this can happens. ? its incomprehensible.

[@amcapettelee8924]

Terrible Accident. To think we used to bury our kids in the sand when they were younger. Prayer's for Levi and his family and unfortunately that this was the outcome, this Accident may save lives in the future...

[@John-ro3bt]

Lmfao, did you cover their heads? No, probly not and most likely only covered them with a foot or so of sand....so I don't see the similarities. This kid was actively digging a 10 foot deep hole in sand, for being the nerdy type you'd think he know better. Terrible that he had to die to learn this very important lesson.....sand is unstable.

[@michellegrimm5487]

No one paying any attention to diggers. Why does anyone dig a hole that deep ?? How can they not see the dangers in it?? It's sad that these people have nothing better to do than dig a hole or their own grave And they don't even realize it. I don't understand it.

[@jbthc]

There are people in this world who don't have self awareness to the fact that digging holes like that in a beach are dangerous, and they obviously weren't self aware of these dangers is the answer to your question

[@chrisE815]

"It's just sand"

[@ukmedicfrcs]

@@jbthc They're kids and this is a perfect example of " a child's brain is not fully formed ".

[@janiceguico2857]

I bet he was sitting down while all the sand collapsed on him...so sad

[@DAS-Videos]

He was, they said he was in the position of digging, at the bottom of the hole. He probably triggered the collapse.

[@topcat6565]

That same thing happened to some dudes that I was in the Military with Stationed on Ft.Story Va.Beach years ago.

[@jx14aby]

I saw it in the movie The Great Escape. Steve McQueen got captured.

[@ogdaking846]

Sorry to hear this

[@waffleraptor6401]

Rest In Peace obviously but a 10 foot deep sand hole????? That’s… impressive.

[@OleOlson]

It's all about the Angle of Repose. In dry coarse sand, that's probably about a 30% grade. If you dig anything steeper than that, it's going to want to collapse. Finer grained sand might be a bit steeper, and other sediments like silt, clay, and loam can be much steeper yet (even vertical up to about 5 feet). Shoring can be used to increase the safety (4 solid walls of plywood or metal sheets), but only if they are adequately braced with beams. On the beach, if you're digging past 4 or 5 feet (~1 meter), at least use steps down. Dig it 3 times as wide as it is at the deepest point. Every foot you go deeper, you have excavate 3 feet around the perimeter and conically down. Basically, a tremendous amount of work to dig deep on the beach, not usually worth it, but this knowledge can save more lives than just telling people not to dig.

[@TaigaClaws]

Should I ever get dragged to the beach this is what I'm doing

[@ironjohn5914]

Seen a guy at a gravel pit he was trying to lock his tailgate he hopped in back quick and a loader came and didn't see him and dumped 5 ton of gravel on him... he died instantly...

[@Jim26D]

Ban assault sand!

[@wiggwam1]

So sad. Prayers 🙏 for his family and friends

[@JES8SHRNDZzz]

I’m sorry for your loss

[@Kari2025]

Oh wow, this just happened again in February only it was the 6year old sister who died, and the 8year old was taken out alive. Awful.

[@micahclark4021]

Why in any bodies mind say sands a good thing to dig in seen if u make a sand castle and if the water touches it it's gone

[@103a]

I can’t imagine. When I put my feet under 2 feet under the sand it already feels heavy

[@burgundyjayde]

Just yesterday in Miami two children siblings 5 and 7 years old we're trapped in the sand the girl died the boy lived I can't imagine the fear I can't imagine the post-traumatic stress that the boy is going to have for the rest of his life this is so preventable there needs to be signs on beaches and not dig😢😢

[@kalismols606]

Finally I can bury myself

[@jeffreyfoney5350]

What happened with just building a sandcastle

[@ghostinthemachine5821]

Rest in Peace 🙏

[@melsbels74yi]

God that's HORRIBLE! 😫

[@TheCarnivoreLife1985]

That had to be frightening!!

[@bassmaster135790666]

The parents who allowed the Dingus to dig the hole should be held responsible.

[@Jim26D]

They already lost a child what else should they lose?

[@waffleraptor6401]

I think losing their child is payment enough…

[@followthewayTRUTHlife]

?🤔 18 yo is going to do whatever he wants.

[@regaininglife9084]

He dug his own grave.

[@georgeshotrodbarn2113]

Biden needs to ban sand holes

[@dankde]

Very sad, it would take a long time to dig that, where were the parents/guardian?

[@naturistfred]

Exactly, it takes hours and alot of energy to dig a 10 feet hole with a frisbee. But he was 18 years old, not a small child to be chaperoned by Mommy and Daddy.

[@Chorn63]

his parents were sitting right next to the hole

[@naturistfred]

@@Chorn63 that's terrible. They witnessed the entire thing and not once told them it was a bad idea?

[@Chorn63]

@@naturistfred they were from Maine, if i'm correct the beaches are all rocky, I live 5 mins from where this happened and they mustve been enthralled by the difference in the sand.

[@TheManonfire925]

Why would you dig a hole that deep ? 😕

[@jamesstewart8376]

Initially a shocking tragedy…. Until you realize they dug a ten foot hole in on themselves. I’m a landscaper and was installing a 300 pound rock. I got in the hole with it. Don’t ever do that. I started digging. If it had fallen over, I would be dead. The crabby retired Navy homeowner saw me doing it and ordered me out of that hole. He saved my life. Afterwards I realized how stupid a death that might have been.

[@franklinhernandez683]

In the northern beaches over there in New Jersey people don't even go there anymore that's another reason why they didn't start digging right away for the kids because there wasn't many people there

[@abc123fhdi]

should be sign posted of the danger and that digging of holes is prohibited. maybe even close the beaches when there's no lifeguard on duty to inform folks of risks and rules of not digging.

[@shockvalue3835]

Looks like Darwin's going to have to personally hand the teen the award

[@georgeso4364]

Too soon man

[@ukmedicfrcs]

Now it's 10 foot? Yesterday it was 6...tomorrow it will be 50. Poor kid RIP.

[@HW-vg3ju]

Sorry for his loss and condolences to the family. I can't help but wonder though, what do people get out of digging large holes the begin with. This type of tragedy could certainly be prevented.

[@earnestineray8199]

For this to be SO COMMON, FOR SAND HES TO COLLAPSE WHENEVEE PEOPLE DIG HES IN THE SAND, THIS IS THR VERY FIRST TIME THAT IVE EVER HEARD ABOUT THIS HAPPENING, AND WOULDNT HAD KNIWN ANT BETTER MYSELF, I LEARNED A NEW FACT TODAY SADLY. PRAYERS TO THE FAMILY OF THIS YOUNG MAN

[@sealedbytheblood9082]

“Who knew Jesus Christ.” Thank you Lord for showing him who you are.🙏🏻❤️

[@M00NCHILD57]

this is why you need to stop burying each other in the sand.

[@terriseaton3049]

How very sad.

[@TrangLe-kc6os]

Rest In Peace 🙏🙏🙏

[@Neagwejeagwe6975]

i'm 14 and this is deep

[@pamlopez6778]

very sad but why dig a hole that deep ..

[@alfredlawson8853]

Why the f*** would you dig a hole that deep in the beach? Trying to make a huge castle or break a Guinness world record?

[@durrellbowden5495]

People ACTUALLY go to the beach and dig holes. I can understand a child digging a small hole. WTF even makes u want to dig down that far in sand? People are sad af

[@TaigaClaws]

unga bunga deep hole dig deeper

[@francinejones2524]

Why’re you digging a 10 foot hole? It seems ridiculous. Sand collapses!!!

[@turkey4957]

His dad calling him "odd" is kind of rude. Also the dad ripping on his own friends who texted him at midnight to express condolences. Like they're just trying to support you

[@starseyes2696]

Well , we need to ban rude dads

[@dozaarchives2225]

"Not concerned with what others were thinking"? Sir, should you be digging a hole that deep? No, go away!

[@mitchelrowe7363]

Sadly its just another failure of our Educational System...

[@cocofluff]

Don't blame schools man. Those two could have googled sand pits and learned of the risk. Their problem was a lack of common sense. Not book smarts.

[@Chorn63]

he was home schooled in maine

[@tonyduffy9027]

Sad😢Sad😢

[@chestnutbrown9340]

One of those good Christians swallowed up by sand.

[@seraphik]

TEN FEET?! I'm sorry, that's just idiotic.

[@arttorrez5548]

He was a techie it says. So I guess he was trying to create his own hyperloop? Only got 10 ft. but still needed miles to go. I guess he flunked Mechanical Engineering Structures. Or maybe he thought his multiverse didn't have collapsing structures but instead hyperlooped you by shooting you through the slippery sand. Well somewhere in another multiverse he's actually hyperlooping.

[@lucyrivera487]

Horrible

[@DanHosler]

Definitely a renter, pro tip guys bring plastic tub lids or your boogie board to use as a roof you can put some sand on them to make it camouflaged without the weight

[@lauravastag8587]

So very sad ❤️🌎

[@choochtech]

we used to make fox holes on the beach and used metal sovels, made tunnels you would crawl in to the other chambers. My parents didnt supervise me as a kid and I could do whatever. Looking back I dodged a bullet!!!

[@Hugo4104]

Can someone explain to me how the hole collapses???

[@DAS-Videos]

The sides of the hole slide in from the bottom up, in less than a second.

[@carinatiotuico6453]

Such thing I have never heard to be buried in sand. I always said teens have too much on their hands. Teens should have other occupations first of all praying to Almirhy God, reading, playing music, acting in a theater playing sports but not dum things like chooking, dum games etc. WHERE ARE THE PARENTS IF THEY DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT? I HAVE A 21 YEAR-OLD RACED IN A HOMELESS SHELTER, I TAUGHT HIM PIANO WHEN HE WAS A KID TODAY HE IS AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY IN TEXAS AN ORGAN MAJOR.HE EVEN GRADUATED AS A VALEDICTORIAN OF LAGUARDIA HIGHSCHOOL NY. AS A SINGLE MOTHER WITH NO SUPPORT I NEEDED SOMEHOW TO EDUCATE HIM.EVEN POOR BUT HONNEST. MY DERPLY CONDOLENCES FOR THIS TEEN BOY'S FAMILY AND RIP TO HIM. HE IS BY GOD NOW. PLEASE PARENTS WATCH OUT OVER UR KIDS. THEY ARE NOT ADULT YET.IN EUROPE THEY WILL BE BUT NOT IN USA...SORRY

[@yasminahmad792]

I don't get the whole digging , but it sad

[@r.casagrande8689]

What a strange way to die

[@n.b.a1529]

Never knew this was possible wtf

[@alvisserrano9797]

10 foot hole its obvious sand caves in.

[@lauralaplace9945]

It’s happening more often and in Florida

[@John-ro3bt]

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. Congrats young man you won the grand prize 👏.

[@starseyes2696]

We need to ban sand holes .

[@angelamonk716]

Heart Drenching !

[@amyconway9923]

Condolences to the family ....❤

[@hedgehog1684]

he did this to himself

[@valerieherron4185]

Why are they digging a 10 foot deep hole

[@pllax22]

Christians: it’s all in gods plan 🙄

[@debrakish7215]

This has absolutely nothing to do with God, just stupid humans doing stupid things.

[@cynthiablanchard5844]

He's in Heaven and I'm so sorry

[@DalandaWorld]

oh no

[@suenugent9555]

MY CONDOLENCES,,,,🇱🇷...🙏

[@Valentinegal]

Sand dug like snow.. this happens.. where’s common sense kick in? Sad loss

[@maxmarx2]

We were digging a 10 ft hole. Common sense isn’t common

[@toriapurnell1436]

PEOPLE USE THE WORD "WEIRD" VERY LOOSELY AND UNFITTING. BUT THIS IS WEIRD

[@K84r7]

how do u dig 10 feet with a frisbee