The search for a 6-year-old girl who was swept away in a rain-swollen Pennsylvania creek last weekend has been called off after more than three days of fruitless efforts, authorities in Chester said.
“Having exhausted all available resources to locate Li’najah over the past three-and-a-half days, we are now ceasing search operations,” the Chester Police Department said in a statement Tuesday night. “Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers go out to the family during this difficult time.”
Li’najah Brooker and another girl slipped on the mud and fell into Chester Creek Saturday evening as they and a third girl played near the rushing waters. One girl managed to get out, but Li’najah was lost.
Police and a number of other agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard, had scoured the creek, the Delaware River where the creek flowed into it, and the surrounding areas.
On Sunday, the effort was changed from rescue to recovery, with the understanding that the longest she could have survived in such conditions was about three hours. On Tuesday, officials had to admit defeat.
“Since Li’najah fell into the Chester Creek around 6:55 PM on Saturday, March 23rd, emergency services spanning every level of government have deployed every type of resource available for search, rescue, and recovery efforts,” police said. “These resources have included small and large craft boat teams, dive teams, underwater and aerial drones, sonar devices, security footage, U.S. Coast Guard choppers, and scent canines.”
On Tuesday morning, 10 volunteers from Pennsylvania Wilderness Search and Rescue, a nonprofit group, scoured the shoreline and water, KYW-TV reported. But by 3 p.m. everyone had come up empty-handed.
The girls had been playing at a nearby playground but found a hole in the park fence and made their way to the water’s edge, neighbor Damian Lewis told The Delaware County Daily Times. He was alerted when neighborhood children came to his door seeking help.
“It was fast,” Lewis told the newspaper. “She didn’t stand a chance. If you weren’t there, there was nothing you could do.”
The city has since mended the fence, the County Times noted.
“Our hearts ache for her family and loved ones as they navigate through unimaginable grief,” Chester Mayor Stefan Roots said in a statement. “To the family, please know that the entire community stands with you during this incredibly difficult time.”
