A Pennsylvania community is grieving the loss of a nine-year-old girl who died at Hersheypark Amusement Park.
The fatal incident occurred on July 24 at The Shore, a 378,000-gallon wave pool within The Boardwalk section of the park, which reaches depths of up to six feet.
Hershey Entertainment & Resorts CEO John Lawn said lifeguards responded immediately when they spotted the young girl, whose name has not been released, in distress.
“From the moment 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.
The child was transported to Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead shortly after arriving.
In a statement provided to PEOPLE, a park spokesperson confirmed that over 100 trained lifeguards were present at the time of the incident, with 10 specifically assigned to the wave pool.
These lifeguards had received extensive training and certifications in deep-water lifeguarding, Basic Life Support, CPR, AED use, oxygen support, and First Aid.
A park guest, who asked not to be named, described the horrifying scene to WGAL: “It was 92 degrees and my family had just arrived when I saw a child being pulled, limp, from the wave pool.
“A lifeguard began CPR on a gurney with intense focus, working for several minutes. When he stopped, clearly shaken, the crowd let out an audible sigh. Staff did their best to shield onlookers from the trauma, but the weight of the moment was overwhelming,” the witness added.
“I later heard this may have been a medical emergency, not a typical drowning, which makes it no less tragic. Normally, after a day at Hersheypark, I come home exhausted. But last night, I couldn’t sleep. The image of that little [child], and the heartbreak of [the] family, is something I’ll never forget," they added.
The young girl was a cherished member of the Bhutanese community in Harrisburg, according to Tilak Niroula, chairman of the community’s board.
“At just nine years old, she was full of promise, innocence, and joy - a light in the lives of all who knew her,” Niroula said in a statement to WGAL-TV. “Her sudden and tragic departure has left a deep void in our hearts and in the community she was so warmly a part of.
“Our entire community is grieving alongside the family during this unimaginably difficult time,” he continued. “Words cannot fully capture the depth of our pain, but we are united in our mourning and committed to standing with the family in love, prayer and support.”
Hersheypark confirmed that the wave pool “remains closed” out of respect for the family and the team members involved in the rescue.
CEO Lawn said the company is cooperating fully with local authorities and conducting a thorough internal investigation. “To every family that visits Hersheypark, please know this: your safety and well-being drive every decision we make,” he said.
The Derry Township Police Department and the Dauphin County Coroner’s Office are assisting in the ongoing investigation.
“Our thoughts and our hearts are with the family and friends of this young life, lost too soon,” police said in a statement. The coroner’s office noted it is “in the early stages of this process” and is working to gather all relevant facts.
Our thoughts are with the nine-year-old's loved ones at this time.