Authorities launch safety investigation after child dies at Montgomery County resort

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The City of Conroe has issued code violations to a resort following the tragic death of a little boy.

City inspectors were called out to investigate after 8-year-old Andrew Orvis died on Sunday. Authorities say Orvis fell off the dock into Lake Conroe after sitting on the edge and dipping his feet in the water.

"He was so smart, he was so kind. He made everybody laugh," his mother, Amanda Purvis, said.

The Harris County Medical Examiner has not yet established a cause of death. But city inspectors tell Eyewitness News they found exposed wires and breached conduit along the dock.

Inspectors took pictures showing those violations, including one that seems to indicate the conduit which was surrounding the wires was energized. City officials also tell us the ground fault interrupters which were in place and were supposed to trip to protect a person from electrocution were not operating properly.

The city shut down electricity to the dock, saying it posed a hazard to the public.

"It was very concerning; that is obviously a code violation and very dangerous," said Nancy Mikeska with the city of Conroe.

The dock was built before the area was annexed by the city in 2011. It does not meet current code, and the city says it wouldn't have to unless they ever had work on the dock done after that annexation. It tells us those who operate Piney Shores have already pulled permits to fix the problems.

Purvis says it's too little too late.

"Angry that they would allow that to happen," she said.

"The hardest part is having to explain to his little brother why his best friend is gone," Orvis' stepfather Robert Schilhab said.

No one from Piney Shores has yet returned our calls. Again, authorities are not saying yet what caused that 8-year-old boy's death.