Beaver County

10-year-old boy who fell in Ohio River found dead

AMBRIDGE, Pa. — UPDATE 5/20: Ambridge police confirmed the 10-year-old boy’s body was found Wednesday afternoon near where he was last seen in the Ohio River.


ORIGINAL STORY:

The search for a 10-year-old boy who fell into the Ohio River near the Ambridge Sewer Treatment Plant Monday afternoon resumed again Tuesday morning.

The search began around 2:40 p.m. Monday and was called off hours later.

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First responders told Channel 11 he is wearing a Mickey Mouse shirt and lime green shorts.

Channel 11 learned that the boy was with a group of children, including his brother, when he fell into the water. Police said the children ranged in age from 8 to 13.

Channel 11 learned that the boy was with a group of children, including his brother, when he fell into the water. Police said the children ranged in age from 8 to 13.

They walked behind Ambridge Sewage Treatment and through the woods to an area that police say kids go to be near the river.

Police said the 10-year-old boy stepped into the water.

"From the story that the brother said that his shoe came off in the water and started floating away and he tried to go after his shoe," said Rob Gottschalk, chief of the Ambridge Fire Department.

The family didn’t know the children were there, according to police.

The boy’s brother was at first able to grab hold of him and tried to save him, but Gottschalk said his grip slipped and he never resurfaced.

Numerous dive teams, fire departments and police from Allegheny and Beaver counties helped. Emergency officials even asked Chopper 11 to assist with the search. A state police helicopter joined in too.

Police said one challenge was the murky water.

“Being that the timeframe is significantly later it’s going to end up being a recovery,” Gottschalk said.

This is not related to the search for a man who fell in the water near Neville Island on Sunday.

Police just gave us an update on the boy who fell into the Ohio River. In this video, police describe how the boys brother tried to save him, as he was drowning. Dive teams are still in the water, searching. Just heartbreaking. www.wpxi.com

Posted by Michele Newell WPXI on Monday, May 18, 2020