Vacation ends in tragedy when 4-year-old boy dies at campground, NC sheriff says
A family’s weekend visit to the North Carolina coast ended in tragedy when their 4-year-old was found unresponsive in a campground pool, investigators say.
It happened Saturday, June 14, and the boy was identified as Brayden Clay Edwards of Garner, the Carteret County Sheriff’s Office said in a June 16 news release. Garner is about a 5-mile drive south of Raleigh.
“The Carteret County Sheriff’s Office was called to Goose Creek Camp Ground just after 9 p.m. Saturday ... for a report of a 4-year-old male who drowned in a pool located within the camp ground,” the sheriff’s office said.
“Life-saving efforts were performed by bystanders, and the child was transported to Carteret Heath Care by ambulance, where he was later pronounced dead.”
Brayden was at the campground with his parents, officials said. Details of what preceded his drowning were not released, and the Carteret County Sheriff’s Office had yet to respond to questions from The News & Observer.
In an obituary posted Tuesday, Brayden’s loved ones described him as an adventurous child with “a sparkle in his eye” and a passion for anything with wheels.
“He loved anything and everything muddy — especially ‘muddy tires,’” the obituary states. “His favorite color was green (the muddier the better), and his favorite way to spend the day was tearing up trails, riding fast, laughing loud, and flahsing that contagious smile of his.”
He is survived by his parents, sister, grandparents, aunts and uncles.
“Brayden’s story is one of laughter, mud, speed, and so much love,” his obituary says. “Though his time with us was short, he left behind a lifetime of memories, and a legacy of joy that will live on forever - in every muddy puddle, every silly giggle, and every pinky promise.”
The Goose Creek Camp Ground is in the Newport area, “minutes from the ocean,” Thousand Trails reports. A pool, water slide and playground are among the campground and RV park’s amenities, the site reports.
Newport is about a 140-mile drive southeast of Raleigh.
Drowning is the top cause of death for children ages 1-4 in the United States and increased by 28% in that age group from 2019 to 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Though child drowning rates are generally lower in North Carolina than in the rest of the country, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services warns parents should keep an eye on children in or around water and learn CPR and basic rescue skills. Swimming pools should have four-sided fencing at least 4 feet high, according to the department.
Brayden’s family could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
This story was originally published June 17, 2025 at 7:46 AM.