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An 11-year-old girl has died after falling through the ice at Washington Park Lake in Albany over the weekend. She was attempting to save a 12-year-old boy who also fell through the ice and died at the scene on Saturday (December 7). Both children were students at North Albany Middle School.
The incident occurred when the boy tried to walk across the lake, and the ice broke beneath him. The girl followed in an attempt to rescue him but also fell through the ice. Emergency services received a call about the incident around 4:30 p.m. and arrived at the scene within minutes. The girl was rescued and taken to Albany Medical Center Hospital, where she was initially listed in critical condition.
The New York State Police Underwater Recovery Team recovered the boy's body later that evening. Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan expressed her condolences, stating to CNN, "Yesterday was a tragic reminder of how dangerous any body of water can be, especially as the weather gets colder and thin ice forms."
In response to the tragedy, North Albany Middle School is providing crisis support services for students and staff. The school community is grieving the loss of two of its students, as noted by North Albany Middle School Principal Andrea Piper.
Authorities have placed "Keep off the ice" signs around the lake and are considering permanent signage to prevent future incidents. They urge residents to avoid walking on ice and to call 911 if someone falls through, rather than attempting a rescue themselves, as reported by NEWS10 ABC.