9-year-old dies after incident at Hersheypark’s water park in Pennsylvania

By Alex Stambaugh, CNN

(CNN) — A 9-year-old child passed away after an incident at Hersheypark’s water park Thursday night in Pennsylvania, according to the company’s CEO.

Hershey Entertainment CEO John Lawn said a lifeguard team recognized a child “was in distress” and performed an “immediate rescue,” followed by “continuous, coordinated life-saving efforts by our lifeguards, on-site first responders, and medical personnel,” according to a statement post on the park’s Facebook.

“The child was transported without delay to Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, where despite everyone’s tireless efforts, the child did not recover,” Lawn’s statement said.

The company did not say the cause of the child’s death.

“Our hearts break for this child and the child’s family. We extend our deepest condolences for their loss,” the statement said, adding that it would not release personal details at this time.

The company said that it will conduct a “thorough internal review” in the coming days and “cooperate fully with authorities.”

The water park – The Boardwalk at Hersheypark – features 16 water attractions. The 119-year-old amusement park in Hershey, Pennsylvania, opened its water park in 2007.

“To every family that 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,” the CEO added.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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