Toddler Playing on Splash Pad Nearly Falls Into Huge Sinkhole

As parents, we try to be prepared for any possible risks that our kids might encounter. We buckle them carefully into their carseats and cut their grapes in half and make sure they're always wearing sunscreen...but there are some dangers you just can't see coming, no matter how careful you are.

A mom in New Jersey had a terrifying experience this week when her toddler son nearly fell into a giant sinkhole that formed suddenly in their front yard. Josiah, who's 20 months old, was playing on his splash pad in the grass when his mother Elyana Schuck heard a "pop" — and what happened next was a total shock!

What a terrifying moment for both the mom and the little boy! According to News 12 New Jersey, this wasn't the first time a sinkhole has appeared in the neighborhood.

"I couldn't even sleep last night. I had anxiety, kept having panic attacks. Just like re-thinking about the whole situation like the what ifs, if I wasn't watching him fully, you know? A new fear unlocked. You're not like safe. This is a safe spot, like I said now - Is he even safe being in my house?" said Schuck.

Unfortunately, usually when sinkholes happen there's no warning. But what causes them in the first place?

What Is a Sinkhole?

A sinkhole is a depression in the ground with no "natural external surface drainage," according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

"Basically, this means that when it rains , all of the water stays inside the sinkhole and typically drains into the subsurface."

Sinkholes typically happen in areas where the kind of rocks under the land surface "can naturally be dissolved by groundwater circulating through them" (such as Florida).

When the rocks dissolve, this makes spaces and caverns underground. The reason why sinkholes happen so dramatically is "because the land usually stays intact for a period of time until the underground spaces just get too big. If there is not enough support for the land above the spaces, then a sudden collapse of the land surface can occur."

Sinkholes can occur naturally, or they can be caused by human activity (like leaky underground pipes). Unfortunately, homeowner's insurance policies don't usually cover damage due to natural sinkholes. If you have a sinkhole on your property, you might want to contact your State Geological Survey.

"They are the experts on the geology of your area and they might be able to explain why a sinkhole is forming at your location. Some states have extensive online information about sinkholes, including a place to report them."

While sinkholes are actually pretty common, they don't usually result in a disaster. (But sometimes they come pretty close!)

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