An 11-year-old girl is in critical condition after trying to save her 12-year-old friend, who fell through the ice at Washington Park Lake. The 12-year-old was found dead at the scene.
The incident took place on Saturday in Albany, New York. According to the Albany Police Department, they received a call at approximately 4:30 p.m. local time about two children who fell through the ice at the park. First responders arrived at the scene seven minutes later.
They soon found the girl, who they believe saw the boy fall through the ice and took the same path he took in attempt to save him.
Responding officers rescued the girl and provided medical treatment at the scene before taking her to Albany Medical Center Hospital. As of Sunday, she is in critical condition.
At approximately 7:25 p.m., The New York Police Underwater Recovery Team conducted a secondary search during which they recovered the body of the 12-year-old boy.
Joseph Gregory, the Alabany Chief of Fire and Emergency Services, also said they dispatched a specialized water unit with water rescue equipment to the scene. He applauded everyone who is involved in the rescue operation and stated that he is ‘very proud’ for everything they did.
Officials believe the 12-year-old boy tried to walk across the lake toward the lake house when he fell through the ice. According to the Washington Park Conservancy, the lake is 140 feet wide and 1,600 feet long, with some areas being as deep as 11 feet.
In a statement, Mayor Kathy Sheehan thanked the recovery team and first responders for their help and said her thoughts are with the children’s families.
Due to their age, the children’s names have not been released to the public. However, their families have been notified.
Following the incident, North Albany Middle School released a statement saying the victims were their students. Superintendent Joseph Hochreiter said his heart goes out to their families and that the entire school community is grieving. The school will also be providing their students and staff with crisis services.
On the Facebook post shared by Albany Police Department, many residents commented that it was relatively common for individuals to walk across the ice at Washington Park Lake. One commenter wrote that they too, had fallen through the ice at the same spot a few years ago and that there should be a caution or danger sign at the lake.
A ‘keep off the ice’ sign has since been placed in the area by the Parks and Recreation Association.
Gregory said the recent fluctuations in temperature have caused the surface of the ice to be unstable. He is also urging individuals not to follow the paths of those who have gone through the ice. While it may be safe to throw the person a line or rope, they should never attempt to go into the ice themselves for a rescue as that can compromise their safety.
Instead, they should call 911 for immediate help.
