Two young sisters lying in a hammock at their Ohio home were killed after one end of the swinging bed caused a brick pillar to collapse on top of them, according to reports.
The victims were identified as 12-year-old Chasey Scaravilli and 14-year-old Scout Scaravilli, Fox 8 News reported, citing the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office.
The tragic accident happened at a Berkshire Road home in Cleveland Heights about 7:45 p.m. Sunday, according Fox 8 News.
Police said one end of the hammock was tied to a tree and the other end was tethered to the brick pillar that suddenly disengaged and toppled onto the girls.
The siblings were apparently trapped underneath the rubble for several minutes until emergency officials arrived to free them. They were rushed to a nearby hospital, where they died several hours later, FOX8 reported.
There was no indication of whether the parents were home at the time of the accident.
Scout was in ninth grade and Chasey was in seventh grade, said a spokesperson for Hathaway Brown School, where the girls attended.
The U.S. Sun reported that Chasey was known for her artistic abilities and a keen sense of humor, while Scout was an athlete and devoted older sister.
"You couldn't be around them without smiling or laughing," said Sharon Baker, the school's director of Middle School, Fox 8 reported. "They brought such joy into every room they entered."
“The entire HB community is saddened by the loss of the Scaravilli sisters; they will be greatly missed by so many friends, classmates, and teachers,” Hathaway Brown Head of School Fran Bisselle said in a statement, according to Fox8. “Our thoughts and prayers are dedicated to their family.”
A vigil was held Monday at the school.
The school planned to keep grief counselors staffed for students and parents.
The girls are survived by their parents and two younger sisters.
Their father said the entire family is “hurting.”
In an interview with WKYC, he said: "They were beautiful people. They were beautiful souls. I'm gonna miss them terribly."
The accident remains under investigation.
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