Jeffrey Balzer confirms five people died in an Ohio river after several members of a group jumped in to help a struggling swimmer.
Jeffrey Balzer, the Delaware County Sheriff, confirmed that five people died in the Scioto River in Powell, Ohio, following a swimming accident on Sunday. The tragedy began when one person struggled in the water, prompting several others to jump in to assist. A motorist alerted authorities after spotting a distressed child running along a nearby road, stating that his family was in the river. Rescue crews initially recovered two women on Sunday, who were pronounced dead at a hospital. The bodies of three men were located in the river on Monday afternoon. Two children under the age of 10 have been placed in the care of family services, including the child who ran for help. The Scioto River, a popular local waterway for fishing and boating, saw rising water levels due to recent scattered showers and thunderstorms. Authorities are currently investigating the incident and withholding the identities of the deceased pending family notification.