Child who ran for help led to discovery of drownings
POWELL, Ohio — Five people died on the Scioto River in a Columbus suburb Sunday after several of them jumped into the water to help a person who was struggling to swim, authorities said Monday. The chain of rescue attempts claimed the lives of two women and three men, officials said.
Delaware County Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer said at a news conference Monday that a motorist called 911 after spotting a frightened child who had been with the group and was running on a nearby road. Two children under age 10 have been placed in the care of family services, including the child who ran for help, Balzer said.
The group had gathered along the Scioto River in Powell on Sunday when one person entered the water to go swimming. “And that’s when the tragedy started to occur,” Balzer said, as the others who jumped in to help also began struggling.
Rescue crews searching the water on Sunday found two women, who were pronounced dead at a hospital, Balzer said. The bodies of three men were found in the river on Monday, according to Tracy Whited, a spokesperson for the Delaware County Sheriff’s Department.
The incident occurred two days after five members of a family were killed in southern Utah after a flash flood swept through canyons during a hiking trip.