Mother's Desperate Attempt to Save Twin Sons from Frozen Pond Ends in Tragedy
A North Carolina mother has described the heartbreaking moment she tried to save her twin sons from drowning after they fell through an icy pond behind their family home.
Barbara Zarlinga was preparing dinner inside her Onslow County residence on Sunday while her seven-year-old sons, Benjamin and Sebastian, played outside in the winter weather. When the boys failed to respond to her repeated calls, Zarlinga immediately sensed something was terribly wrong.
The Frantic Search and Tragic Discovery
"I called out to them twice, but by the third time, I felt something had gone wrong," Zarlinga told local news station WITN. She began searching the neighborhood for her missing sons before returning to the frozen pond in her backyard.
"I saw Sebastian in the water. I didn't know it was him at the time. I was praying to God it was a toy," Zarlinga recounted through tears. "When I got into the water, it was not."
The desperate mother hauled Sebastian from the icy water and attempted to resuscitate him while emergency responders raced to the scene. First responders arriving shortly after discovered Benjamin still in the pond.
Hospital Pronouncements and Community Support
Both boys were transported to a nearby hospital but were pronounced dead on Sunday evening. Zarlinga was also taken to medical facilities where she received treatment for hypothermia resulting from her rescue attempt in the freezing water.
"The woman who pulled me out of the pond, she prayed over me that night," Zarlinga said, expressing gratitude toward the first responders who comforted her during the unimaginable tragedy. "She took me through the woods and prayed over me the whole time we were walking."
Family Grief and Wider Warnings
Denise Morrison, the boys' grandmother, shared her profound grief while hoping others might be spared similar anguish. "I hope nobody ever has to holler their children's name and not get a response," Morrison said emotionally.
The twin brothers had been first-grade students at a local elementary school where they were described as having numerous friends and being well-liked by classmates and teachers alike.
Following the devastating incident, a family friend established a GoFundMe page to assist with funeral expenses and support the grieving family. "Barbara Zarlinga has been my lifelong friend, and I have always admired her strength and kindness," the fundraising page stated. "The loss has left her and her family heartbroken, and they are now facing not only emotional pain but also significant financial challenges."
By Wednesday afternoon, the community had rallied with more than $25,000 in donations to support the family during this difficult period.
Recent Similar Tragedies Highlight Winter Dangers
This heartbreaking incident follows another recent tragedy in Texas where three brothers aged six, eight, and nine died after falling through a frozen pond behind a friend's house in Fannin County. That incident occurred during a winter storm that blanketed much of the nation with snow and ice.
The Texas boys' mother, Cheyenne Hangaman, expressed hope that other parents would recognize the dangers of icy conditions and frozen bodies of water.
In late January, the National Weather Service issued stark warnings about the "REAL and DEADLY danger of icy ponds and waterways" across multiple regions. The agency emphasized that "there is no readily available data on the thickness of any ice anywhere across the Mid-South that we know of" and urged the public to "please do not sled, walk, play or drive near bodies of water" during winter conditions.
These consecutive tragedies underscore the critical importance of winter safety awareness and supervision around frozen waterways, particularly as climate patterns create unpredictable ice conditions across various regions of the country.
