A 12-year-old boy died in Albany, New York, on December 7, 2024, after he fell through ice at a park. An 11-year-old girl who was likely trying to help the boy was in critical condition as of December 8, according to the Albany Police Department.
Officers responded to Washington Park Lake at around 4:35 p.m. after learning that the two children had fallen through ice.
More from CafeMom: 8-Year-Old Boy Dies in Freak Accident After Statue Falls on Him at Arizona Resort
Police believe the boy tried to walk across the lake to get to the lake house.
In a news release, police explained that based on their investigation of the incident, they believe that the 12-year-old boy was trying to get to the lake house when he fell through the ice. They believe that the 11-year-old girl saw him fall and tried to help him. The children’s names have not been released because of their ages.
The girl also fell through the ice, but was rescued.
When officers arrived at the scene, they rescued the 11-year-old girl with the help of Albany firefighters. She was then transported to Albany Medical Center Hospital and was in critical condition. The boy was not found during this search effort.
More from CafeMom: Mom Hiding Gun in Her Purse Threatens Fast Food Employees Over Missing French Fries
Later, during a secondary search, the boy's body was recovered.
The New York State Police underwater recovery team conducted a secondary search several hours later. During this search, they recovered the boy’s body from the lake. Law enforcement officials notified the children’s families.
Both children were students in the City School District of Albany.
On December 8, the school district shared a statement about the tragic incident. “Two North Albany Middle School students were involved in a tragic accident in Washington Park on Saturday afternoon,” the statement read. The school district noted that crisis services would be available to students and employees on Monday, December 9.
'Our entire school community is grieving.'
On Facebook, the school district shared the same statement that was shared on its website. In the statement, City School District of Albany Superintendent Joseph Hochreiter said, “Our hearts go out to the families of these students at this incredibly difficult time.”
“This is a terrible tragedy and we are grieving as a school community,” the superintendent added.
After the tragedy, Mayor Kathy Sheehan warned people to stay off the ice.
As the community grapples with the tragedy, officials are also focusing on educating the public about winter safety. On Monday, the city of Albany added “Keep Off the Ice” signs near Washington Park Pond, CBS 6 reported. Mayor Kathy Sheehan told the news outlet that “nobody should be walking on any water surface in the city of Albany.”
When speaking to CBS 6, Albany police chief Brendan Cox pointed out how the icy conditions can be particularly dangerous for children. “It’s a horrible tragedy, heartbreaking that a 12-year-old and an 11-year-old, they were out being kids, playing I mean, [and] they thought that it was frozen over,” Cox said.
