Girl Dies After Theme Park Drowning Incident

A young girl is dead a week after a suspected drowning incident at a popular Midwest water park.

The child, who has not been named, was found unresponsive on July 5 in a pool in the Coconut Grove area of Oceans of Fun, a water park operating in Kansas City, Missouri. City firefighters responded to the scene and promptly transported the girl to Children's Mercy Hospital for treatment. The Coconut Grove area was shut down in the aftermath of the incident.

Despite the hospital's efforts, Cedar Fair, the parent company of Oceans of Fun, confirmed in an update on Tuesday that the young girl had ultimately died from injuries sustained at the park, KMBC News reported.

"On July 5, 2022, Oceans of Fun aquatics and safety (EMT) staff, as well as the Kansas City Fire Department, responded to and cared for a young female guest in distress," the statement read. "We are deeply saddened to learn of her passing. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family during this difficult time."

Little else is known about the victim, including her age and what specific injuries she sustained.

Park attendees who witnessed the incident told KMBC that there were numerous lifeguards on duty that day and that some were seemingly able to render aid to the child before first responders arrived on the scene. The outlets also reported that one lifeguard was seen crying as they left the park on July 5.

"I pray and hope that the child will be OK and make it," Oceans of Fun attendee Amy Tallman told KMBC at the time. "She's definitely in my prayers."

Newsweek reached out to Oceans of Fun for comment.

Two other children also died in drowning incidents on the same day in different states in late June. In Riverside, California, a 9-year-old boy drowned while visiting Lake Elsinore on the morning of June 26. Bystanders attempted to help him after initially noticing his struggle, but he went under and was found dead by divers five hours later. It is unclear if the child had been swimming or had fallen into the water by accident.

"The Riverside County Sheriff's Department Dive Team responded and started searching the area," local law enforcement said in a statement. "The Dive Team was able to locate the victim around 2:37 p.m. The Riverside County Coroner's Office took possession of the victim. The name of the victim is being withheld."

Elsewhere on June 24, a 13-year-old boy drowned to death while swimming in Snohomish County, in Washington's Lake Stevens. Two other boys with him, ages 12 and 15, also struggled in the water and were left critically injured.