Full Breakdown
Tragic Submersion of Vehicle Claims Lives of Maine Woman and Grandchildren
By Drooid · · How we work
Fatal Incident in Roque Bluffs
Maine State Police are investigating the deaths of Sharon Bukulmez, 61, of Mount Desert, and her two grandchildren, Kinsley Grubb, 5, and Sawyer Grubb, 3, after their car was found submerged in Pond Cove near the boat ramp at the end of Schoppee Point Road in Roque Bluffs. The trio left a family gathering in Jonesboro Saturday night around 8:30 p.m. and were expected to arrive in Machias the following day. When they failed to appear, Bar Harbor police used Bukulmez’s cellphone data, which indicated a location in the water near the ramp. State troopers, the Maine State Police Dive Team, and Maine Marine Patrol recovered the vehicle and the three bodies early Sunday morning.
Investigation and Official Response
Maine Department of Public Safety spokesperson Shannon Moss said the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Coast Guard also assisted at the scene. The bodies were transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta for autopsies to determine cause and manner of death. Moss added that the circumstances remain under investigation and no further information is being released at this time.
Prior Similar Accident
This is the second known drowning at the same ramp in the past 13 years. In July 2013, two women—one five months pregnant—drowned after their car left the ramp and entered the ocean in foggy conditions, according to police reports from that time.
Ongoing Inquiry and Next Steps
Authorities will complete forensic examinations before releasing findings. The investigation focuses on whether the vehicle entered the water unintentionally, the role of nighttime visibility, and any mechanical or driver-related factors. Until the autopsy results are available, the exact cause of the submersion remains an open question.