Siblings, 2 and 4, swept away in Southern California creek identified

Two young children who tragically died after being swept away in the fast-moving waters of Mill Creek while on a family outing with their mother in San Bernardino earlier this week have been identified.

Rescuers with the San Bernardino County Fire Department responded to the May 7 reports that the young children may have possibly fallen into the creek near the Thurman Flats picnic area in Mountain Home Village off Highway 38 at around 4:05 p.m., fire officials said in a news release.

Authorities say 4-year-old Sophie Humann fell into the rushing waters as her mother was attending to her 2-year-old brother, Deejay Humann.

Frantic, she began searching for her daughter and when she returned, Deejay was also missing.

Family members continued to search for the children but were unsuccessful and because of the lack of cellphone coverage, they could not immediately call for help.

When rescuers did arrive, it took more than an hour to find the siblings. Both were located downstream near the creek’s edge, authorities said.

Video of the scene obtained by KTLA showed rescue workers performing CPR on one of the children before carrying them to a waiting ambulance.

“They were transported to local hospitals, and after extensive life saving measures, they were pronounced deceased,” the release stated.

A GoFundMe has been organized to help the family lay their children to rest.

Officials warn that creeks, even shallow ones, can be deceiving and that people, especially those with young children, should keep a safe distance from the water’s edge.

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