12-year-old boy dies after being buried in a sand dune

SOUTH HAVEN, Michigan (WOOD) – A 12-year-old boy died Saturday when he was covered by a sand dune at a scout camp south of South Haven, Michigan.

On Sunday, the child was identified by police as Gage Wilson of Portage, Michigan.

When emergency responders arrived at North Point County Park, near the shore of the lake, around 4:15 pm Saturday, they found Scout leaders performing CPR on the boy. Emergency responders took over and an officer used an AED to recover the pulse of Gage.

The authorities then rushed Gage out of the park in an ambulance that was waiting for him, which in turn took him to an area where a medical helicopter was waiting. He was flown to Bronson Methodist Hospital, Kalamazoo, where he died.

The South Haven Police Department said on Sunday that an autopsy was underway and was still investigating, but that the incident appears to have been "a tragic accident".

In a statement Sunday, Michigan Crossroads Council CEO Donald Shephard said the organization offered "our deepest condolences to the victim and his family, and we will support them in every way possible."

Scouts went on to say that safety is an integral part of everything we do and that they attach "great importance to prevention and preparation" to ensure the safety of its members.