A small Kansas community is heartbroken after a tragic accident at Lake Chaparral claimed the lives of two children.
Late Monday evening, panic set in when a 911 call reported two kids missing near the lake in Linn County. Deputies rushed to the scene, fearing the worst. As they searched, clues pointed to the possibility that the children had been on the ice before disappearing.
Authorities soon turned to aerial drone footage, which confirmed their deepest fears—the children were trapped beneath the frozen lake. With time slipping away, the Overland Park Fire Dive Team was called in to recover their bodies.
The Linn County Sheriff’s Office expressed its sorrow over the devastating loss. “Our hearts go out to the families and friends affected by this tragedy,” the department shared in a statement.
As the community grapples with the heartbreaking news, local schools are also feeling the weight of the loss. Administrators at Jayhawk USD 346 reached out to parents on Tuesday morning, assuring them that extra support was being offered to students during this difficult time.
Investigators are still piecing together the details of what happened, but one thing is certain—this rural community is coming together to mourn and support the families left shattered by the tragedy.
