Young boy dies while trying to skate on frozen creek near home

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Many a time had James Lee Snyman's family ``dragged him away'' from a creek he was forbidden to play near. <br><br>This time, relatives could not reach the 4-year-old before

Thursday, December 28th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Many a time had James Lee Snyman's family ``dragged him away'' from a creek he was forbidden to play near.

This time, relatives could not reach the 4-year-old before he fell into the frozen water. James died of hypothermia and drowning at Children's Hospital of Oklahoma on Sunday, a day after the accident.

His 5-year-old sister was with him outside their home in The Valley addition in Oklahoma City near Edmond.

``She was standing on the bank and he wanted her to go with him, but she would not go with him,'' James' father, Johann Snyman, said Wednesday. ``She ran back and told me, but I was not fast enough to save his life.''

Snyman recalled it was not the first time the boy had been caught near Chisolm Creek.

``We had dragged him away from that creek many, many times. It was his favorite place to play, even though he got punished many times for going there.''

When ice formed on the creek, James decided he wanted to go ice-skating down there, Snyman said.

``We found out that he had told his schoolteacher that he wanted to go ice-skating in the creek, and we didn't know that.''

Snyman had planned to sell the house and move away before the accident. Those plans have not changed, he said.

The child's funeral is scheduled for Friday at the Memorial Road Church of Christ.