A kid got sucked into a drainpipe in Fort Myers during a storm.
One moment, he was splashing and playing in a water-filled ditch; the next, he was sucked into the netherworld. Like some damned Neil Gaiman novel.
Amazingly, the boy -- who survived the ordeal -- was underwater for at least a minute, according to fire rescue crews.
According to a neighbor, the drainpipe was submerged under the water, which is why no one saw it.
The pipe, which is about a foot and a half wide, created a small whirlpool and sucked the boy in. His friends immediately ran to his parents and other adults, who tried to rescue him.
The adults couldn't reach him and followed the drain line that led to the Caloosahatchee River, where they spotted the child screaming for them. The adults were able to get to the boy then and pulled him out of the water.
When emergency responders arrived on the scene, they found the boy with the others, doing just fine.
Apparently the incident happened during a birthday party, which apparently allowed children to play in street water.
Next time, maybe get a bounce house for the kids.
Or some pony rides.
A clown... something.
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