Two Wisconsin brothers, 8 and 6, die from injuries after falling into a frozen retention pond

Two brothers who were hospitalized last week with critical injuries after falling into a frozen retention pond behind their Wisconsin apartment have died, police said.

The boys were dropped off by the school bus at about 3:20 p.m. Friday at a stop near the apartment building. Both walked onto the surface of the pond, which was not fully frozen over, both fell through. Police took them to the hospital with critical injuries, the Sun Prairie Police Department told USA Today. Authorities did not specify the nature of their injuries.

Legend Sims, 8, died Saturday, and his brother Antwon Amos Jr., 6, died Monday, family and police told the Wisconsin State Journal.

The family members of the two boys are calling for barriers to be erected around other retention ponds in places where children could be to prevent a similar tragedy from happening in the future.

“This is unspeakable. This is the most horrible feeling to have on this Earth to lose two kids. … [They need to] fence every pond in that’s at apartment complexes where kids have access to it so we never have to go through this again,” the boys’ aunt Andrea Shorter-Amos told WISC-TV.

“All permanent and manufactured wet ponds are required to incorporate a safety feature known as a safety shelf. This safety shelf extends 10 feet from the pond’s edge and is no deeper than one foot. … We are exploring measures to enhance existing safety protocols and promote water safety,” Sun Prairie officials told WISC-TV.

The Roers Cos., owners of The Wildwood at Main apartment complex where the boys lived, told the Wisconsin State Journal that it backs Sun Prairie “in evaluating measures that could enhance safety for our community’s residents, guests and neighbors.”