The search for a 6-year-old girl who fell into a Chester, Pennsylvania, creek Saturday night and was swept away by rushing water has shifted from a rescue operation to a recovery operation, authorities announced Sunday.
Chester Fire Department officials said the girl fell into Chester Creek, which was swollen by the rain, around 7 p.m. It is believed she was playing with another girl when she slipped on mud near the water’s edge.
Multiple fire companies immediately began searching for the next three and a half hours, and the U.S. Coast Guard continued the search throughout the night.
Chester Fire Chief John Paul Shirley said at a news conference Sunday afternoon that rescue workers are always “looking for a miracle” but after so much time, the chances of a rescue are slim. .
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Officials say the 6-year-old girl was playing near a stream when she slipped in the mud and fell. (FOX29 Philadelphia WTXF)
“We always expected to find something, but now we have no doubt that the sun is on our side and we can do a more thorough search, but it will not be helpful for the rescue. “I thought, ‘I’m going to recover,'” Shirley said.
The 6-year-old girl was later identified by news outlets as Rinaja Brooker. (Provided by the family)
The 6-year-old girl was later identified as Lynaja Brooker. FOX29 Philadelphia report.
Reports said nearly 3 inches of rain fell in the region Saturday as the storm moved through the Northeast. fox weather.
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Shirley said she believes the girl may have been swept from the creek to the mouth of the Delaware River in just a few minutes.
Officials say fast-flowing Chester Creek may have swept the child to the mouth of the Delaware River in just a few minutes. (FOX29 Philadelphia WTXF)
“She may have already been in Delaware when we just arrived on scene,” he said.
Search and rescue operations for the child moved into recovery on Sunday. (FOX29 Philadelphia WTXF)
Chester Mayor Stephen Roots called it a “very sad day” for the community.
“Our hope today is that we can get the boats out, we can get the drones out, we can get the Coast Guard out, we can find the bodies and we can get closure quickly,” Roots said.
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Chester is a city located approximately 29 miles southwest of downtown Philadelphia.
