Shreveport Sinkhole: Six Teens Drown In Red River Sinkhole

One child ventured off into an area that he was unfamiliar with, and some of the other children had gone off with him," Crawford said. "They went into the vicinity of an 18-foot sinkhole. And once one started toppling into that sinkhole grabbing a hold of another, trying to save another, eventually seven were pulled into the hole."

A bystander jumped into the water and rescued a 15-year-old, but the other six went under and never resurfaced, the paper says. The teens had only one life vest among them.

Marilyn Robinson, a friend of the families, watched helplessly as the victims, five males and one female, went under. She said a large group of family and friends, including roughly 20 children, were out at the sandbar to barbecue, swim and have a good time.

They frequent the area and were familiar with the water, Robinson said.

"None of us could swim," the 38-year-old said. "They were yelling 'help me, help me. Somebody please help me.' It was nothing I could do but watch them drown one by one."