9-year-old Dies at Hersheypark’s Waterpark
A 9-year-old child has died after an incident at The Boardwalk inside Hersheypark in Pennsylvania, Hersheypark’s CEO has confirmed.
The incident occurred on Thursday evening at the amusement park in Hershey, Pennsylvania, when a 9-year-old child “was tragically lost at The Boardwalk at Hersheypark,” said John Lawn, Hersheypark’s CEO.
“From the moment that our lifeguard team recognized that a child was in distress, they performed an immediate rescue, followed by continuous, coordinated life-saving efforts by our lifeguards, on-site first responders and medical personnel,” Lawn said.
A witness told WGAL the child was limp as she was pulled from the wave pool and a lifeguard performed CPR on her as the Hersheypark staff tried to shield onlookers from the traumatic incident. The girl was taken to Milton S. Hershey Medical Center where she was pronounced dead.
“Our hearts break for this child and the child’s family,” Lawn said in a statement on social media. “We extend our deepest condolences for their loss. Out of respect for their privacy, we will not release any personal details at this time.”
“The safety of our guests has always been our highest priority,” Lawn said. “In the coming days, we will conduct a thorough internal review and cooperate fully with authorities.”
“As we grieve alongside our community, we ask for privacy for the family and for our team members who are deeply affected by this loss. We will provide updates as appropriate, and we will continue to work to support everyone involved,” Lawn continued.
Friday, the park released another statement about the child’s death.
“We can confirm that the incident occurred at the wave pool within The Boardwalk at Hersheypark. The wave pool will remain closed today out of respect for the family and deep appreciation of our team members who worked so valiantly in their efforts to save the life of the guest.” Read the public statement.
“Hersheypark places the highest priority on water safety at The Boardwalk, supported by an award-winning team of lifeguards trained and certified through Ellis & Associates (E&A). E&A is a leader in the aquatics industry and one of the premier trainers and certifiers of lifeguards in the country.”
“There were over 100 E&A-trained lifeguards in the Boardwalk at the time of the incident. There were 10 lifeguards specifically dedicated to the wave pool at the time of the incident. The specific lifeguards stationed at the wave pool received the highest level of training and certification from E&A, known as Special Facility Training, which includes deep-water lifeguarding, Basic Life Support, AED use, supplemental oxygen support, CPR, and First Aid. Additionally, as part of Hersheypark’s commitment to water safety, complimentary life vests are also available to all of our guests.
To read Hersheypark’s statement in its entirety [CLICK HERE].
The investigation into the child’s death is currently open and ongoing.
