Families of boys who drowned in pond sue Gwinnett

LAWRENCEVILLE - Families of two Gwinnett County teens who drowned in an icy pond say in a new lawsuit that firefighters stood idly at the water's edge for nearly 45 minutes, waiting for a boat and other equipment before attempting a rescue.

Authorities have said 14-year-old Jacob Bullock and 13-year-old Marvens Mathurin were playing and sliding on the semi-frozen pond when the ice broke in January 2010.

Fire officials said they became trapped under the ice and spent nearly an hour in the frigid water. They were unresponsive and unconscious when rescue workers pulled them from the pond.

WXIA-TV reports the lawsuit accuses the Gwinnett County Fire Department of negligence in the boy's deaths.

A Gwinnett County spokesman declined to comment, citing a county policy of not commenting on pending lawsuits.