Search crews find body of 14-year-old girl who went missing in Monongahela River

WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. — The body of a 14-year-old girl who did not resurface after going into the Monongahela River on Friday was found Saturday afternoon, officials said.

According to West Mifflin Police Chief Anthony Topolnak, the girl was fishing on the river with her family when she went out too far while playing in the river.

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She went under, and her family tried to rescue her unsuccessfully. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office later identified her as Kristina Rai.

“The undercurrent is so strong over there. It don’t look like it. It looks as calm as can be, but the undercurrent is so strong,” Dave Lloyd, of Glassport, said.

Officials said the search started around 5:50 p.m. Friday in the area of Lebanon School Road and Route 837 (Clairton Dravosburg Road) in West Mifflin. Crews later called off the search for the night out of safety for divers and resumed efforts about 6:30 a.m. Saturday. They continued searching until the girl’s body was found around 1:55 p.m.

Crews focused their search Saturday in the area of the river between West Mifflin, Glassport and Dravosburg. Numerous agencies helped in the search, using boats, divers, sonar and drones.

“The river is always dangerous. There’s always a strong current and there’s a drop off in the river, so anyone who goes in the river or close to the river should always be wearing a life jacket,” said Topolnak.

Below is a look at the area where the search happened:

RAW: Crews search for 14-year-old girl in Monongahela River (7/25/20) RAW: Crews search for 14-year-old girl in Monongahela River (7/25/20)

Cox Media Group