On April 13 at 6:19 p.m., officers responded to the 8900 block of Turkey Hill Road in La Plata for the report of two injured children. Upon arrival, officers found a two-year-old male and a five-year-old male (siblings) suffering from injuries after a tree fell on them. A preliminary investigation revealed the father of the two boys was cutting down a tree in his backyard when the tree suddenly turned toward the children who were watching from about 50 feet away. Both children were flown to a hospital where the two-year-old was pronounced deceased. The 5-year-old has serious injuries. Detective J. Elliott is investigating.

Charles County Crime Solvers offers rewards of up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest or indictment of a person responsible for a crime in Charles County. Anyone with information about an unsolved crime or the location of a fugitive may contact Charles County Crime Solvers by calling 1-866-411-TIPS, texting CHARLES + the tip to CRIMES (274637) or submitting tips online at tipsubmit.com. All individuals who provide tips through Crime Solvers will remain anonymous. Visit our Crime Solvers page to learn more.

The Charles County Sheriff’s Office is a full-service law enforcement agency comprised of more than 600 police, corrections and civilian personnel responsible for protecting more than 150,000 residents. The CCSO was accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) in 2001 has been designated as a CALEA Gold Standard of Excellence agency since 2011. Established in 1658, the CCSO is one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the United States. For more information, visit About Us.