BOULDER, Colo. — A 9-year-old boy died after he fell out of his tube in Boulder Creek on Sunday afternoon.
At 4:52 p.m. on Sunday, emergency personnel with the Boulder Police Department (BPD) and Boulder Fire Department responded to a 911 call about a child that fell off his tube in Boulder Creek and was missing, BPD reported.
The first responders were able to find and pull the 9-year-old from the creek near Broadway and Canyon Boulevard by 5 p.m., BPD said. They rendered CPR.
The boy was then transported to Boulder Community Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased at 5:41 p.m. He was identified by the Boulder County Coroner's Office on Tuesday morning as Romeo Alvarez.
The child's parents had minor injuries.
Deputy Fire Chief of Operations Jeff Long said the rescue was "an unspeakable tragedy for everyone involved."
“All our responders were there — police, fire, medics, our swiftwater crew," Long said. "We got to him as quickly as possible, and it’s a terrible feeling to not be able to save someone. Especially when that someone is a child.”
The City of Boulder is urging the public to stay cautious when recreating around water, especially during this run-off season when waters are high and fast. Other authorities are also warning about the dangers of local waterways, including the Clear Creek.
