Crime & Safety
Hospital, Family Identify Children Killed in Sylvan Lake Boating Accident
Alexander and Gabrielle Mansour of West Bloomfield died as the result of their injuries, while a third sibling, Adrianna, remains hospitalized in critical condition.
This story was written by Joni Hubred-Golden
Three West Bloomfield Township children injured in a Sunday boating accident on Sylvan Lake have been identified by their family and Beaumont Health System, according to multiple news reports.
Alexander Mansour, 11, Adrianna Mansour, 10, and Gabrielle Mansour, 6, were riding on an inner tube being pulled behind a boat driven by their father. Alexander died Sunday; Gabrielle succumbed to her injuries on Monday. Adrianna remained in critical condition at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak on Monday night.
According to the Oakland County Sheriff's Department, the children's father, John Mansour, was going south, when a boat traveling east struck the tube. According to police reports, the boat's driver, a 56-year-old Sylvan Lake resident, stopped to help. News reports indicate a number of residents in the area, including physicians and nurses, also tried to help.
The Oakland Press reports that Keego Harbor Mayor Sidney Rubin plans to talk with Sylvan Lake officials. “This is an opportunity to discuss option of improving safety on both Cass Lake and Sylvan Lake,” he told the newspaper.
And according to The Detroit News, while the father did not have a "spotter" on board, as state law requires, it's "still too early to determine" whether that would have prevented the accident. The Oakland County Sheriff's Department investigation is still underway.
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