Rain moved through Everton, Missouri earlier this month, and one homeowner noticed something off. The kind of “off” that makes you walk slower, lean forward a little, and wonder if anyone else sees it too. It started with a slight dip on the driveway. Then a crack formed. A week later, the ground opened up. The hole was suddenly large enough to swallow cars whole.

Property owner Darel Oberbeck Jr. spotted the sinkhole on November 10

He reported the sinkhole was roughly six feet wide, taking up nearly half the roadway and stretching several feet into a neighboring field.

Over the next few days, it expanded. By November 15, the pace picked up. Oberbeck explained that he left that morning and heard a sound coming from the hole he could only compare to “roaring wind.”

He later discovered another three feet of earth had fallen away.

The sinkhole location adds urgency

Directly across the street sits Dyes Park, a spot local children often visit. Nearby Sinking Creek (yeah, that name didn’t pass me by, either) draws fishermen.

A neighbor told KY3 News that she worries about kids wandering too close. She hopes someone with experience helps fill it, noting sinkholes are common across the state.

A geologist from the Missouri Division of Natural Resources inspected the site

According to Oberbeck, the side closest to the creek has stabilized for now, but the section toward the field could keep growing. Because the sinkhole is on private land, city officials said they can’t assist.

Sinkholes form when underground limestone or carbonate rock dissolves from water erosion, creating open cavities

The U.S. Geological Survey explains that when the layers above this dissolved rock can no longer support their own weight, the surface collapses.

Missouri sits atop some of the most sinkhole-prone terrain in the country. These formations can compromise roads, driveways, vehicle stability, and in extreme cases swallow cars. Drivers and pedestrians face major hazards, especially at night or during heavy rain.

Filling them typically requires excavating loose material, safely stabilizing the cavity, then packing it with crushed rock or concrete.

Cost to fill and responsibility fall on the property owner unless the sinkhole affects public infrastructure

Larger cases may require engineering consultation, and insurance rarely covers it unless you carry specific sinkhole protections.

Oberbeck said he still doesn’t know where all the dirt went or what he should use to fill the void. Until a plan comes together, he worries the hole might reach the creek and put children at risk. He said the last thing he wants is someone getting hurt. At this point, he’s searching for anyone with the experience to help him figure out how to fix it before it expands any further.

A commenter on the YouTube video suggested Oberbeck call local construction companies. He can ask them if they have any unwanted fill and debris, and welcome them to dump it in the sinkhole.