Palatine

Parents Mourn Death Of Brothers Pulled From Icy Retention Pond In Palatine

NBC Universal, Inc.

Teghan Ivy and Romalice Brooks are going through unspeakable loss this Thanksgiving as they mourn the loss of their children, who died after falling through the ice of a Palatine retention pond this week.

“This is tough. This is so tough,” said Ivy. “I never imagined having to bury my kids at the same time.”

Ivy said she did everything to try to save them. She’s now dealing with tremendous guilt that she couldn’t get to them.

“I took off my shoes. I got on that ice and I go and tried to save my boys,” she cried. “The ice broke and I went into that water. The water was so deep and so cold they tried to pull me out of that water. I didn’t see my boys anymore.”

 Her boys, 6-year-old Romalice and his 4-year-old brother Rosiah, died after being pulled from the water Wednesday.

Family told NBC 5 they were visiting their grandmother in the 800 block of West Panorama Drive. They asked their mom if the could go outside.

“They only been outside for a short (time.) They got on the ice on that pond and the ice broke,” she said. “They went in and I hear them calling my name 'mommy, mommy.”

Family described the brothers as inseparable. They did everything together from craving pumpkins to baking. Their parents now looking back on the memories and the short time they shared together.

“I want them to be remembered as my brother’s keeper,” she cried. “They had each other’s back. Those kids were adventurous, they looked out for each other, they were loving, they were playful.”

This incident a tragic reminder for parents about the dangers of icy ponds.

“I never anticipated that I wouldn’t be able to hug and kiss my 6-year-old and my 4-year-old, and I got to do that one last time and it hurts,” she cried. “So I just tell people keep them close take every minute that you got with them and cherish it.”

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