A grandmother from Maine, along with her two small grandchildren, sadly lost their lives this week after their car went off the road while returning from the grandchildren’s father’s wedding, according to police reports.
The bodies of Sharon Bukulmez, aged 61, and her grandchildren, 5-year-old Kinley Grubb and 3-year-old Sawyer Grubb, were discovered in a car submerged in a pond at Roque Bluffs on Sunday, Maine State Police announced.
Last seen around 8:30 p.m. the previous evening, Bukulmez was reportedly taking the children to their Airbnb after the wedding, as shared by their devastated father, Peter Grubb, in an interview with a local news outlet.
Peter mentioned that their mother likely died attempting to rescue the children from the vehicle.
“They were the best kids a father could wish for,” he reflected, noting that the knowledge of their love for him brought him “a slight sense of peace.”
The grandmother and grandchildren were reported missing after they didn’t reach the Airbnb in Machias. In response, police looked into the last known location from Bukulmez’s mobile phone, which indicated it was near a boat ramp at Schoppee Point Road in Roque Bluffs, according to police spokesperson Shannon Moss.
The submerged vehicle was located at around 7 a.m. on Sunday morning.
Friends and family remember Bukulmez as a devoted and nurturing individual. This tragedy hits particularly hard for Peter, who is described by those close to him as an incredibly caring father.
“I think what he wanted most was to have his own family, to be a dad,” recalled Alec Jeannotte, reflecting on Peter’s long-held dreams.
While it’s still unclear how the vehicle ended up in the pond, the area has seen similar incidents before; two hikers lost their lives there in 2013 when their vehicle also entered the water.
State Representative Tiffany Strout expressed her willingness to collaborate with local authorities to enhance signage that may better warn drivers about the ramp leading into the water.
