Children lost in Pennsylvania flooding amid intense US weather
Emergency teams were still searching for at least two young children in Pennsylvania who were swept away in flood waters over the weekend.
LEARN MOREPosted: 10:47 p.m. EDT Jul 21, 2023
Authorities recovered the body of a young girl from the Delaware River in Pennsylvania Friday, tentatively identifying her as one of the victims who was swept away from her family's car during flash flooding earlier this week.
In a news conference Friday night, officials said they believe they had identified the body of 2-year-old Matilda Sheils, based on her physical description. The Philadelphia coroner will perform a formal autopsy this weekend.
The body was found near a wastewater treatment plant, some 30 miles away from where water carried Sheils away from a family vehicle on Saturday.
The family had been visiting from South Carolina when flash floods struck, according to Upper Makefield Fire Chief Tim Brewer. Sheils and her 9-month-old brother Conrad were carried away. Sheils' mother, 32-year-old Katie Seley, was killed in the flooding. Her body was recovered on Sunday.
The search continues for signs of Conrad.
The Bucks County Coroner’s office says four others died during flash flooding in the region this week.
Pennsylvania received multiple rounds of heavy rain, which triggered flash flooding that swept away vehicles and caused power outages.
Rescue crews searched all this week for the missing children amid continued severe weather, deploying K-9 teams, combing through debris with heavy equipment and using sonar and drones to search underwater in tributaries that lead to the Delaware River.
