The tragic loss of two teenage best friends has left a Florida community in shock after a day of play turned deadly in the sand.
Fourteen-year-olds George Watts and Derrick Hubbard were enjoying their time at a sandpit near Sportsman’s Park in Inverness, a city situated about 70 miles north of Tampa, on January 11, as reported by FOX 13.
“They were just kids,” remarked Corey Edwards, their coach and mentor with the 352 Legends program, speaking to the news outlet. “We encourage kids to play outside, and that’s exactly what they were doing.”
Their fun took a tragic turn when the hole they were digging, which had reached a depth of approximately five feet, suddenly caved in on them.
Pictured in their younger years, George Watts and Derrick Hubbard tragically lost their lives when their sandpit collapsed during their park outing in Inverness, Florida, on Sunday, January 11, 2026. (GoFundMe)
The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office report, accessed by FOX 13, revealed that the teens’ parents grew concerned when the boys did not respond to calls during lunchtime, prompting them to search the area.
Their parents reportedly located the boys’ bicycles and shoes by the sandpit, and immediately called for help as they began digging.
When first responders found Hubbard, he did not have a pulse and was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
A makeshift memorial stands where George Watts and Derrick Hubbard were killed when their sandpit collapsed while they were playing at a local beach in Inverness, Fla., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (FOX 13)
Watts was located with a pulse, but was unconscious and not breathing when he was pulled from the sand. He was transported to a hospital, and later flown to UF Health Shands in Gainesville in critical condition, FOX 13 reported.
He was pronounced dead two days later at 4:25 a.m. Tuesday, according to the outlet.
Details regarding the length of time in which the boys were trapped remain unclear.
George Watts and Derrick Hubbard were lifelong best friends before both boys were killed when their sandpit collapsed while they were playing at a local beach in Inverness, Fla., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (GoFundMe)
“They were digging a hole,” Edwards reportedly said. “They were having fun, being adventurous, using their imagination. They’re doing things that we preach to kids that we want them to do and, unfortunately, this just turned into a tragedy.”
The two boys reportedly grew up together and were like brothers. They had recently celebrated winning the Citrus NFL Flag Football league championship, and are being remembered by loved ones as always being kind, funny and adventurous.
“It really killed a part of all of us, losing them,” Lina Bilodeau told FOX 13. “This is a pain that will never subside. Born together and passed together. A true friendship most of us as adults never even get to experience.”
