KENOSHA, Wis. — A 5-year-old boy died and an 8-year-old girl survived after both struggled in the waves of Lake Michigan in Kenosha on Tuesday.
Kenosha police initially reported the 5-year-old was in an unknown condition in the hospital, but in an update Wednesday they released he had passed away.
Police and firefighters arrived at Pennoyer Beach Park near Kenosha’s Bandshell around 6 p.m. Tuesday for a report that an 8-year-old was struggling in the water. Crews were able to bring her safely to shore and to the hospital. She is now healthy.
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Meanwhile, the family realized that a 5-year-old boy in the same group as the girl was missing. The search focused on where he was last seen, near the Pike Creek River outlet to Lake Michigan.
The search effort quickly expanded with the arrival of the U.S. Coast Guard and Kenosha dive teams. But it was a citizen drone pilot who spotted the 5-year-old after 15 minutes of flight time about 50 feet from shore. Crews pulled the boy from the water and brought him to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
“I offer my sympathy and prayers to the family. This tragic death is a reminder of the ever-changing flow of the Pike River into Lake Michigan and the dangerous undercurrent of the lake. The City has applied for a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation as we continue to look for solutions. I encourage families that may need assistance in dealing with this tragedy or on how to talk to your kids about it, to contact the Mental Health Resource Center 262-764-8555," said Kenosha Mayor, John Antaramian, in a statement.
