The tragic death of a nine-year-old girl at a US waterpark has been confirmed as ‘freshwater drowning’ by the authorities.
On Thursday, July 24, Sophia Subedi tragically lost her life after encountering difficulties while in the wave pool at Hersheypark, located in Pennsylvania, about 30 minutes east of Harrisburg, the state’s capital.
This amusement park, operated by Hershey’s, America’s leading chocolate company, had up to 10 lifeguards on duty around the wave pool when the young girl began to struggle.
A Hersheypark spokesperson confirmed that all ten lifeguards were ‘specifically dedicated to the wave pool’ during the incident involving Sophia and that they had all ‘received the highest level of training and certification’.
They further stated that the lifeguards were trained in ‘deep-water lifeguarding, basic life support, AED use, supplemental oxygen support, CPR, and first aid’.
The Dauphin County Coroner’s Office has now confirmed that the cause of death was accidental freshwater drowning, clarifying: “The decedent did not have a medical event that caused the drowning.”
A GoFundMe page has been established to assist Sophia’s family during this difficult time.
The page describes: “It is with unimaginable sorrow that we share the heartbreaking news of the passing of our beloved daughter, sister, student, and friend – Sophia Subedi, who tragically left us at the age of 9 during a family visit to Hershey Park.”
“Sophia was born in 2016 at Mount Carmel, in Columbus, Ohio – a joyful and curious child who brought boundless energy and light into every room she entered.”
“In 2022, her family moved to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where Sophi quickly made a home in the community and touched many hearts with her warm smile and generous spirit.”
John Lawn, the CEO of Hershey Entertainment and Resorts, released a statement on the day of Sophia’s unfortunate passing.
“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,” he stated.
“The child was transported without delay to Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, where despite everyone’s tireless efforts, the child did not recover.”
He concluded: “To every family who visits Hersheypark, please know this: your safety and well-being drive every decision we make.”
“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.”
UNILAD has reached out to both The Hershey Company and the Dauphin County Coroner’s Office for additional comments.