There's been a lot of speculation surrounding Monday's tragedy where two kids were found dead at the bottom of a 24-foot-deep construction pit. The two children ran into the pit when chasing after a small toy, triggering thousands of pounds of dirt to bury them alive. It's been assumed that the incident was nothing more than a freak accident, but looming questions concerning the children's parents remain. Where were the parents? Who are the parents? Why were the children left to play so close to the construction site? Despite the parents' absence, it's clear that the incident had a traumatizing effect on the children's father, whose 911 call has now been released.
Jordan Arwood called police in a desperate panic after the collapsed dirt wall trapped his his 6-year-old daughter Chloe and her 7-year-old cousin James Caldwell. The Lincoln County communications center in North Carolina has released recorded call.
"The entire wall collapsed on them," he said during the call. "Get a crane. Get a bulldozer. Get anything you can, please. There's no way they can breath."
As he spoke, he cried excessively and called to the Lord to raise up the dirt and save the children. Although Arwood was clearly shaken by the incident, his behavior is called into question.
The neighbors have reported that Arwood was digging a basement or a bunker, which is why the pit was there in the first place. One story claims that the children were playing as his own helper and entered the pit to retrieve a child's pickaxe when they dirt collapsed. Whether or not this is true, it has been confirmed that the incident occurred while Arwood was operating his backhoe, which is still a questionable decision while two young children are playing nearby.
The Lincoln County Sheriff's office continues to investigate the cause behind the accident. Arwood was arrested in 2003 for "possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell." As a convicted felon, he's not allowed to possess firearms, yet police have confiscated a marijuana plant and several unnamed firearms from his home.
And the icing on the cake? Arwood never obtained a construction permit to dig the supposed basement in his backyard. Investigations will continue, and what began as a tragic accident, could turn into a world of hurt for Arwood.