CONROE, Texas – The sight of a Lifeflight helicopter hovering over the shoreline sent chills through the hearts of parents all along Lake Conroe Sunday afternoon -- a clear sign there had been another tragedy on the water over the weekend.
An 8-year-old boy playing with his two brothers ran to the end of a dock at the Piney Shores Resort just 50 feet from where his father was watching and suddenly slipped off that dock and into the water below.
That father told investigators he ran as fast as he could and pulled his son to safety, but it was too late; as he was carrying his son to the picnic table area, the boy fell unconscious.
At that point, the father said he began CPR, following the directions a 911 operator was giving him over the phone.
Shortly afterward, paramedics with the Montgomery County Fire Department took over CPR until Lifeflight arrived to take the little boy to Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Texas Medical Center.
According to investigators with the Montgomery County Precinct 1 Constables Office, it was at the hospital that the little boy was pronounced dead.
"This looks like nothing more than a tragic, tragic accident," said Lt. Tim Cade, "But it's still our job to investigate it."
The identity of the boy has not being released. Local 2 was told he came to Lake Conroe on Sunday to play with his father and two brothers.
The Montgomery County Sheriff's Major Crimes Unit is leading the investigation.