March 24, 2024
Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice
Emergency crews are searching Chester Creek in Delaware County for a 6-year-old girl who was swept away Saturday night, authorities say.
Rescuers are searching for a child who was allegedly swept away in a Delaware County creek on Saturday amid heavy rains, authorities say.
The incident occurred around 7 p.m. when three girls were playing by Chester Creek, located near 7th Street and the Avenue of the States in Chester, NBC10 reported. Two of the children slipped on the mud and fell into the water. One girl was able to get herself out, but a 6-year-old girl is believed to still be in the creek, authorities say.
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Crews searched for the missing girl for several hours on Saturday night, scanning the water with thermal imaging and searching nearby trees and debris. They suspended the search after 10 p.m., and resumed the search at 8 a.m. on Sunday, according to NBC10.
"There's a lot of debris in the water which poses a potential hazard to our responders, but they've been trained to deal with those situations," Chester Fire Commissioner John-Paul Shirley told 6ABC. "We have light towers set up, we're also flying some drones that have infrared and thermal imaging technology."
Tyeesha Reynolds, the girl's aunt, told 6ABC her 7-year-old daughter tried to hold onto the 6-year-old's coat but she was swept away. After the girl went under, family members also reportedly jumped into the creek to try to find her before emergency responders arrived.
The incident occurred as the Philadelphia region, including parts of Delaware county, saw flooding due to downpours on Saturday.
Authorities did not release descriptions of the missing girl or her identity. Anyone with information should call the police immediately.
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