6-year-old girl missing after falling into rushing Pennsylvania creek during Northeast storm
Authorities said the girl fell into Chester Creek about 7 p.m. Saturday and was likely washed into the Delaware River within minutes.
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CHESTER, Pa. – Teams are searching for a young girl who went missing after she fell into a rushing Pennsylvania creek during a storm that pounded the Northeast this weekend.
Authorities in Chester, a town on the banks of the Delaware River about 20 miles southwest of Philadelphia, said they received a call about 7 p.m. ET Saturday regarding a 6-year-old girl who had fallen into a swollen Chester Creek.
Nearly 3 inches of rain was reported in the area Saturday as a storm moved across the Northeast, dumping heavy rain and snow on the region.
The rain rushed into the creek, where a U.S. Geological Survey gauge showed water levels reached a peak of about 10 feet Saturday afternoon before beginning a slow slide back to a normal of about 3 feet by Sunday afternoon.
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A chart showing water levels in Chester Creek between March 22 and March 24, 2024.
(USGS / FOX Weather)
J.P. Shirley of the Chester Fire Department said at a news conference covered by FOX 29 Philadelphia on Sunday that dozens of people have been searching the banks and waters of not only Chester Creek but also the nearby Delaware River, into which the creek drains.
"Last night, when we were doing some of our initial assessments, we timed it; from the time that the young girl fell into the creek, she probably would’ve been at the mouth of the Delaware River within 9 minutes," Shirley said.
Shirley said the operation has shifted to recovery rather than rescue, noting that trees and debris in the water are complicating efforts to find the missing girl. He said the size of the area being searched has also proved challenging.
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![A team searches Chester Creek in Chester, Pennsylvania, on March 23, 2024.]()
Image 1 of 3A team searches Chester Creek in Chester, Pennsylvania, on March 23, 2024. ( )
![A team searches Chester Creek in Chester, Pennsylvania, on March 23, 2024.]()
Image 2 of 3A team searches Chester Creek in Chester, Pennsylvania, on March 23, 2024. ( )
![A team searches Chester Creek in Chester, Pennsylvania, on March 23, 2024.]()
Image 3 of 3A team searches Chester Creek in Chester, Pennsylvania, on March 23, 2024. ( )
"This community is one that will wrap its arms around those that are hurt and in need," Chester Mayor Stefan Roots said during Sunday’s news conference.
Cold nights and cool days are expected in Chester until Tuesday night, when the next chance for rain arrives.