Cheboygan man, 77, charged in Lake Huron tubing death of boy, 5
James David DicksonA 77-year-old Cheboygan man faces two felony charges in the drowning death of a 5-year-old boy during a tubing accident last month.
Kyzer Grant, 5, fell into Lake Huron in Duncan Bay at about 7:15 p.m. Aug. 9. Kyzer was being pulled on a tube by a boat, but was not wearing a life jacket, said the Cheboygan County Sheriff's Office.
He was found about five minutes after he fell, in 10 feet of water. A tow boat brought him to shore, where medics administered CPR and other aid. The boy was airlifted to C.S. Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor, where he died the next morning.
Authorities allege Willem Vantielen, 77, a family friend of the child, operated the boat.
He turned himself in Thursday and was given a $10,000 personal bond on two charges: involuntary manslaughter and second-degree child abuse. The personal bond only needs to be paid if Vantielen didn't show up to court.
His preliminary examination is set for Sept. 28.
Cheboygan County Sheriff Dale Clarmont said, in a statement, that "Michigan law is clear that a child that age must wear a life jacket anytime they are on this type of boat or being towed on a tube on Michigan waters."