13-Year-Old Pennsylvania Girl Drowns Ohio River West Virginia

A 13-year-old girl from Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, drowned in the Ohio River near the Veterans Memorial Bridge in Weirton, West Virginia, while swimming with her family on the evening of June 30. She was swept away by a strong current, prompting a rapid response from local police and emergency services. A Weirton police officer entered the river to rescue her and, along with other first responders, performed life-saving measures before she was transported to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Authorities have withheld her identity pending family notification. The incident highlights ongoing concerns about drowning risks in natural bodies of water, with nearly 900 children and teens dying annually from unintentional drowning in the U.S., making it a leading cause of accidental death for those aged 5-19. The Weirton Police, Fire Department, and Hancock County Ambulance Service all responded to the scene.