13-year-old slips into river and dies after friend tries to save her, SC officials say
A 13-year-old died after she slipped into a river while on a swimming trip in South Carolina, officials said.
Two girls were along the Great Pee Dee River in Cheraw when one of the them reportedly started to struggle in the current. Her friend tried saving her but was unsuccessful, according to the S.C. Department of Natural Resources.
Hours later, crews found the 13-year-old’s body “in about 20 feet of water,” the state agency wrote in a report shared with McClatchy News.
The other girl got back to shore safely. She was “shaken up” but was physically OK, according to officials.
The incident was reported at about 4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 4. At the time, the girls were near Laney Landing, in Chesterfield County and roughly 90 miles northeast of Columbia.
The teenagers were at the river to go swimming after school, though the two weren’t “strong swimmers,” officials said.
“While entering the river, one of the girls slipped, and began having trouble with the current,” the S.C. Department of Natural Resources wrote. “Her friend tried to help her, but could not.”
At about 7 p.m., divers started searching for the girl, who was later found dead.
As of May 5, the S.C. Law Enforcement Division confirmed it was investigating the incident.
The Chesterfield County coroner’s office and Cheraw Police Department didn’t immediately share additional information with McClatchy News on May 5.
This story was originally published May 5, 2022 at 8:44 AM with the headline "13-year-old slips into river and dies after friend tries to save her, SC officials say."
