A nine-year-old child has died following an incident at a Pennsylvania waterpark.
The incident unfolded at The Boardwalk inside Hersheypark on Thursday night, CEO John Lawn confirmed in a statement.
He said: ‘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.’
The child was taken to Milton S. Hershey Medical Center where they were pronounced dead.
It remains unclear at this time how the child died, a name has also not been provided.
The statement added: ‘We extend our deepest condolences for their loss. Out of respect for their privacy, we will not release any personal details at this time.’
The Boardwalk area of the park features 16 water attractions including a 378,000-gallon wave pool called ‘The Shore’, which reaches a depth of six-feet.
Lawn added: ‘The safety of our guests has always been our highest priority. 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.’
Derry Township Police Department said: ‘The Derry Township Police Department is assisting Hersheypark and the Dauphin County Coroner’s Office with their review into the death of a 9-year-old child at The Boardwalk at Hersheypark on the evening of July 24, 2025.
‘We are still on the early stages of this process, and we are working to gather all of the facts in the incident.
‘Our thoughts and our hearts are with the family and friends of this young life, lost too soon.’
