DOUGLAS COUNTY —On Saturday morning, members of the Douglas County Search and Recovery Dive Team recovered the body of a five year old child that was believed to be the third passenger in the vehicle that entered the river Friday, according to Officer Drew Fennely.
No one else is believed to have been in the vehicle, and the recovery operation in the river was completed.
On Saturday morning, authorities were unable to provide an update on the condition of the one-year-old or the adult female pulled from the river Friday. The investigation into this incident is ongoing, according to Fennely.
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DOUGLAS COUNTY —First responders were on the scene of a water rescue Friday afternoon in Douglas County.
Just after 1:15 p.m., emergency personnel responded to the south bank of the Kansas River, northwest of the intersection of 6th Street and Vermont Street, for reports of a vehicle in the river, according to officer Drew Fennely.
Officers with the Lawrence Police Department arrived on scene and immediately entered the water to assist the occupants of the vehicle. Officers were able to locate an adult female in the water, and assisted her to the bank of the river. Officers also located a small child in the water and assisted the child out of the river. Both individuals were transported to local hospitals, where they continue to be treated. No update on their condition is available at this time.
Information was received that indicated there may be another occupant inside the vehicle. Officers assisted personnel from Lawrence-Douglas County Fire and Medical in attempting to locate the vehicle in the water. After unsuccessful attempts to locate any other occupants, the Douglas County Search and Recovery Dive Team was called in to assist in locating the vehicle and any other occupants. Friday evening, the vehicle was retrieved from the river, but no other occupants were inside the vehicle at the time of recovery. Investigators still believe there was another occupant in the vehicle at the time it entered the river.
Due to diminishing and unsafe light conditions, search and recovery efforts were discontinued for the night. Officers will remain on scene overnight, and the public is asked to avoid the area. Saturday morning, search and recovery personnel will return to the scene to continue recovery operations for any additional vehicle occupants. No timeline can be established for how long the recovery effort will take.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing at this time. It would be premature to speculate whether or not this was an intentional act, as investigators work to determine the events leading up to the vehicle entering the river. Further updates will be provided on Saturday as they become available.
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DOUGLAS COUNTY -First responders were on the scene of a reported water rescue Friday afternoon in Douglas County
At 1:15 p.m., a vehicle was reported to be in the Kansas River near 6th street and Massachusetts in Lawrence, according to Officer Drew Fennelly. Emergency responders pulled two individuals from the water and they were transported to area hospitals.
Information received indicates there may have been additional occupants in the vehicle, according to Fennelly. Dive team personnel were on the scene assisting.
No additional details were released.