(WWJ) A young boy is recovering after authorities say he was buried in sand at the Silver Lake State Park sand dunes in West Michigan.
According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the 9-year-old boy from Livingston County was visiting the popular park, in Oceana County, with his family on the Fourth of July. He was digging in the sand, just before 9:30 p.m., when a dune collapsed onto him.
The DNR said the child was buried in about five feet of sand for more than five minutes. A group of bystanders jumped in to help, dug the child out, and he was rushed to DNR employees on site.
At that time, officials said the boy was not breathing and didn't have a pulse.
DNR officers administered CPR and, after about after 70-80 chest compressions, the child began breathing, moving his arms and regained color.
Once the child was stabilized, he and his mother were transported in a DNR to an ambulance, and taken to a local hospital for treatment.
The DNR was notified Sunday that the child had been released from the hospital. He's now back at home with his family and is said to be doing well.
With this in mind, state officials want to warn the public of potential dangers posed by the dunes.
Scott Pratt, chief of Southern Field Operations for the DNR Parks and Recreation Division, said that while he understands the appeal of this natural wonder, it's important for everyone to put safety first.
"We want visitors of all ages to enjoy Michigan's magnificent natural resources, including the dunes, but with great care and awareness," Pratt said. "For your safety and the safety of others, remember that digging deep holes is not allowed. Collapsing sand can be extremely dangerous, even fatal. Please keep holes shallow, fill them in before leaving and never allow unsupervised digging.
"Help us keep our beaches and dunes safe so everyone can go home with great Michigan memories."
