(HERSHEY, Pa.) — 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.
The child was immediately taken to Milton S. Hershey Medical Center where, in spite of the life-saving efforts, the child 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.”
Lawn did not reveal specific details regarding the incident or the circumstances that led up to it but, according to the company’s website, The Boardwalk features 16 different water attractions including the world’s longest mat racing slides, “Whitecap Racer,” and is home to a 378,000-gallon wave pool called “The Shore,” which goes to a depth of six feet.
“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.
The investigation into the child’s death is currently open and ongoing.
“To every family that visits Hersheypark, please know this: your safety and well-being drive every decision we make,” Lawn said. “We will thoroughly investigate this tragedy and honor the memory of this young guest by continuing our focus on ensuring the safety of our guests at Hersheypark.”
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