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By SONYA GUGLIARA, US REPORTER
Published: | Updated:
A nine year-old girl who died in a busy wave pool at the Hersheypark water park has been named as Sophia Subedi.
Sophia was pulled unresponsive from the waters of the busy attraction in Hershey, Pennsylvania, last Thursday and could not be revived.
It is still unclear how she died with autopsy results not yet released.
The Bhutanese Community in Harrisburg (BCH) confirmed her identity in a heartbreaking tribute on Monday.
‘A bright, kind, and loving young girl, Sophia, brought joy and light to everyone who knew her,’ the statement reads. ‘Her sudden loss has left our entire community in grief.’
Sophia was born in Columbus, Ohio and moved to Harrisburg with her family in 2022.
She had just completed the third grade at North Side Elementary School in the Central Dauphin School District.
In a GoFundMe created in memory of the beloved child, organizer Sri Adhikari said Sophia wanted to be a teacher when she grew up.
Sophia Subedi (pictured) died at Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania, last Thursday
The girl had been visiting The Boardwalk at Hersheypark on Thursday when she became ‘in distress’ in the water (pictured: the wave pool at Hersheypark)
Sophia’s funeral service will be held on Wednesday in Harrisburg. So far, more than $3,000 has been raised to support her family during this difficult time.
‘Those who knew Sophia remember her not just for her brilliance and curiosity, but also for her compassion,’ Adhikari wrote.
‘She loved dancing in the living room with her little cousins, holding her mom’s hand on evening walks, and singing along to her favorite Nepali songs on long car rides.’
The young girl was ‘in distress’ in the wave pool before she died, and witnesses said she was ‘limp’ while being pulled from the water during the sweltering 92-degree evening.
A parkgoer told WGAL-TV that lifeguards immediately blew their whistles and dramatic scenes followed – with families rushing out of the water.
‘A lifeguard began CPR on a gurney with intense focus, working for several minutes. Staff did their best to shield onlookers from the trauma, but the weight of the moment was overwhelming,’ they said.
Hersheypark said there were over 100 trained lifeguards at the park at the time of the tragic incident, including ’10 lifeguards specifically dedicated to the wave pool’ attraction.
After park staff performed life-saving measures, the young girl was taken to Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.
Sophia died in the wave pool (pictured) although her exact cause of death remains unclear
The theme park previous extended its condolences, with John Lawn, CEO of Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company, releasing a statement.
‘Our hearts break for this child and the child’s family. We extend our deepest condolences for their loss,’ Lawn said.
The Derry Township Police Department and the Dauphin County Coroner’s Office are investigating Sophia’s untimely death.
Park officials said they will ‘fully cooperate’ and even ‘conduct an internal review’ of their own.
Sophia’s death marks the first fatality at the park since 1977.
The Boardwalk area of the park features 16 water attractions, including a 378,000-gallon wave pool called ‘The Shore,’ which reaches a depth of six feet.
On Friday, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro reacted to the tragedy, saying: ‘I just want that family to know that we’re here for them and we’re mourning with them and that we care about them.’
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