Body of boy found in drainage ditch/ Raging waters fill area culverts

A tree-lined drainage ditch provided a perfect hideaway for two young brothers who were waiting for their mother while she was inside a nearby self-defense school. But their natural curiosity quickly turned to panic when one and then both boys fell into the swift- moving water late Monday during an intense thunderstorm that pounded Colorado Springs. One of the boys, 12-year-old James Ryan Powell, was able to pull himself out of the ditch south of The Citadel mall. His nearly 6-year-old brother, Steven Anthony Powell, wasn't as lucky, and a massive, nightlong search by dozens of firefighters and police officers was in vain. Steven's body was found just before 7 a.m. Tuesday in the debris-strewn ditch near Las Vegas Street and Janitell Road # about five miles south of where he went in. "They got bored and went out to play," said Colorado Springs Fire Department Lt. Tom Baron. "The water wasn't that high initially and they thought it was safe. "Then the water rose dramatically." The boys' mother, whose name wasn't released, was inside Aikido-Kai, 3470 Chelton Loop North # southeast of Platte Avenue and Chelton Road # at the time, Colorado Springs police said. She was either participating in a class or watching a friend, police said. The water in the ditch rose when an evening thunderstorm dumped up to an inch of rain an hour in parts of Colorado Springs. Water in the 12- foot-wide ditch was as high as 8 feet when the boys fell in. While they were playing, James fell in and was pulled out by Steven, Colorado Springs police said. The boys continued to play near the ditch, and James fell in again, police said. He was swept about 40 feet downstream before he pulled himself out again. When he went back to where he and his brother had been playing, Steven was gone. Police said Steven may have attempted to rescue his brother again. Authorities were called, and about 70 firefighters and police officers searched through the night. The Police Department's helicopter also used a floodlight to illuminate the ditch. "At that point, there was no way to get in (the ditch). The water was running so high," Baron said. Eventually, the water receded and specially trained firefighters and police officers clad in wetsuits began walking through the water using thin, metal poles to probe beneath the surface. Just before 7 a.m. Tuesday, Steven's body was found about 200 feet north of where the ditch dumps into Fountain Creek in southern Colorado Springs. It was the second accidental drowning in Colorado Springs in less than a month. On July 10, 13-year-old Tomi Lee Curlee died after she fell into an apartment complex pool. Across Colorado, drownings claimed the lives of 55 people in 1995 # the most recent statistics available # according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Officials caution that drainage ditches # oftentimes dry or just containing a trickle of water # can quickly fill when thunderstorms hit. "It can be raining upstream but not raining where you are and catch you unaware," Baron said. "We need to stress to parents and kids that these culverts are very dangerous to play in." SAFETY TIPS Parents need to talk to children about the dangers of water-filled drainage ditches. Such ditches easily clog and overflow during heavy rains. Never leave children alone near water. Learn to swim. The YMCA offers adults and children a variety of classes, including basic swimming skills, safety rules, drowning prevention and rescue skills. Call 471- 9790.

@CUTLINE: Steven Anthony Powell, 5, was swept into a drainage ditch during Monday's storms.

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