Two children in Georgia were taken into custody this week in relation to the tragic incident involving the death of an 8-year-old boy who drowned earlier this year in a water-filled excavation site. Authorities have announced that two juvenile defendants, aged 10 and 11, have been taken into custody and charged with multiple crimes in connection with the death of Noah Bush.
An 11-year-old child has been charged with multiple offenses, including battery, manslaughter, concealing a death, and trespassing. A 10-year-old has been charged with concealing the death of another and criminal trespass.
According to Georgia state law, the identities of the minor defendants are not allowed to be disclosed to the public.
A report from Savannah, Georgia CBS affiliate WTOC states that Noah was initially reported missing by his family on May 15, 2024. After an extensive search, the child’s body was tragically found inside a borrow pit at a nearby construction site on May 16, following nearly 11 hours of searching.
A borrow pit is an excavation made in the ground to supply construction projects with filling materials.
Following the unfortunate drowning incident, local law enforcement authorities stated that their initial investigation did not find any evidence of foul play. They pointed out that the boy had taken off his shoes and was in the water near a “no trespassing” sign.
However, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office emphasized that investigators were eagerly awaiting the results of an autopsy report. The report, submitted to the sheriff’s office on Monday, concluded that Noah’s death was a result of homicide and the cause was drowning.
According to attorneys representing Noah’s family, it has been confirmed that Noah was acquainted with both boys he was with that evening. They stated that Noah believed they were his friends and could be trusted. It was suggested that the young defendants may have engaged in a dispute with Noah and deliberately submerged his head underwater.
According to reports obtained by Law and Crime, the attorneys have expressed their belief that certain individuals tried to hide the crime.