Georgia Children, Ages 10 and 11, Arrested in Drowning Death of Boy, 8, Found in Borrow Pit: Officials

Noah Bush
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Noah Bush vanished from his home on May 16. The next day, he was found dead. Officials initially ruled his drowning accidental, but his family never believed that, saying he was afraid of deep water.

Two young children in Georgia have been arrested in the drowning death of an 8-year-old boy, whose body was found in a "borrow pit" in what authorities initially believed to be an accidental drowning, officials said. 

Noah Bush vanished from his home on May 16. His body was discovered the following day in what is known as a “borrow pit,” according to WSB-TV. A borrow pit is a hole dug deep in the ground to provide fill material for construction projects.

The child’s death was originally ruled an accidental drowning by police, who said he must have wandered around a “no trespassing” sign, WSB-TV reported. They also noted Noah's shoes were off his feet. 

But Noah's family believed his death to be suspicious, as they said the little boy was scared of deep water. In search of more answers, they hired lawyers and a private investigator to look further into his death, WSB-TV reported.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation also started to look into the case and interviewed children who were with Noah the last time he was seen alive.

On Wednesday, Bush family attorney Francys Johnson announced Noah's loved ones were right. 

"The story they were told 55 days ago was the story that their son accidently drowned. They knew that was not true then and that has been confirmed the same. That this was not an accidental drowning. This was, in fact, a homicide,” Johnson said.

The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that two children had been with Noah at the borrow pit, and that one of them "pushed him into the deep portion of the borrow pit they were wading in."

Later that day, two children, ages 10 and 11 were arrested and charged in a Wayne County courtroom. They are currently being held in a juvenile detention center.

The 11-year old is accused of simple battery, involuntary manslaughter, concealing the death of another and trespassing. The 10-year-old has been accused of concealing the death of another and trespassing.

The judge set a $5,000 bond for the 10-year-old, and a $10,000 bond for the 11-year-old, according to WJCL.

Because the suspects are juveniles, their names have not been made public. It is unclear if they entered a plea.

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