9-year-old girl who died after incident in Hersheypark wave pool identified; GoFundMe
- Lori Lee WGOLV
- Jul 29
- 6 min read
Updated: Jul 29
DERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. - A family representative with the Bhutanese Community in Harrisburg (BCH) confirmed the name of the 9-year-old girl who died at Hersheypark last Thursday.
Sophia Subedi was the young girl who died while visiting the Boardwalk at Hersheypark.
The Lancaster County Coroner confirmed Subedi's cause of death as an accidental drowning.
About Sophia:
According to the BCH, Sophia was born in Mount Carmel, Columbus, Ohio, but has lived in Harrisburg since 2022. She attended school at North Side Elementary and was preparing to enter 4th grade this upcoming school year.
Full statement from family representative:
The following is the full statement from the family representative:
"It is with deep sorrow and heavy hearts that we confirm the tragic passing of Sophia Subedi, a 9-year-old member of our community, who lost her life on July 24, 2025, at Hersheypark.
"Sophia was born in 2016 in Mount Carmel, Columbus, Ohio, and had been living with her family in Harrisburg since 2022. She had recently completed 3rd grade at North Side Elementary School in the Central Dauphin School District and was preparing to begin 4th grade.
"A bright, kind, and loving young girl, Sophia, brought joy and light to everyone who knew her. Her sudden loss has left our entire community in grief.
"We respectfully share her photo and invite the media and the public to join in remembering her beautiful life.
"Funeral and Memorial Service for Sophia Subedi is expected to take place this Wednesday at Jesse H. Geigle Funeral Home in Harrisburg.
"In support of the Subedi family during this incredibly difficult time, a GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help with funeral costs and to honor Sophia’s memory:
GoFundMe campaign:
"On behalf of the Bhutanese Community in Harrisburg, I extend our deepest condolences to the Subedi family and request the public’s prayers, compassion, and support.
"With deepest sympathy,
Tilak Niroula
Chairman of the Board
Bhutanese Community in Harrisburg (BCH)
90 Shannon Dr, Harrisburg PA 17112"
Hersheypark said there were 10 lifeguards dedicated to the wave pool at the time of the incident.
CEO of Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company John Lawn said in a statement,"From the moment our lifeguard team recognized that a child was in distress, they performed an immediate rescue, followed by continuous, coordinated life-saving efforts by our lifeguards, on-site first responders, and medical personnel."
Full Statement from CEO John Lawn of Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company:
"Tonight, a nine‑year‑old guest was tragically lost at The Boardwalk at Hersheypark. From the moment our lifeguard team recognized that a child was in distress, they performed an immediate rescue, followed by continuous, coordinated life‑saving efforts by our lifeguards, on‑site first responders, and medical personnel. The child was transported without delay to Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, where despite everyone’s tireless efforts, the child did not recover.
"Our hearts break for this child and the child’s family. We extend our deepest condolences for their loss. Out of respect for their privacy, we will not release any personal details at this time.
"The safety of our guests has always been our highest priority. In the coming days, we will conduct a thorough internal review and cooperate fully with authorities.
"As we grieve alongside our community, we ask for privacy for the family and for our team members who are deeply affected by this loss. We will provide updates as appropriate, and we will continue to work to support everyone involved.
"To every family who visits Hersheypark, please know this: your safety and well‑being drive every decision we make. We will thoroughly investigate this tragedy and honor the memory of this young guest by continuing our focus on ensuring the safety of our guests at Hersheypark.
"— John Lawn, CEO, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company"
The child was taken to Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, where she passed away.
The statement said, "Our hearts break for this child and the child's family. We extend our deepest condolences for their loss. Out of respect for their privacy, we will not release any personal details at this time."
Lawn said that they will be conducting an internal review of the incident and will cooperate fully with authorities.
Derry Township police said they are assisting in the review of the child's death.
"The Derry Township Police Department is assisting Hersheypark and the Dauphin County Coroner's Office with their review into the death of a 9-year-old child at The Boardwalk at Hersheypark on the evening of July 24, 2025. We are still on the early stages of this process, and we are working to gather all of the facts in the incident. Our thoughts and our hearts are with the family and friends of this young life, lost too soon."
Police Chief Garth Warner said the department was still trying to put all the information together to determine exactly what happened.
Warner said, "I can pretty comfortably say that there's no criminal element to things."
A witness, who wanted to remain anonymous, told news station WGAL they saw a limp child pulled from the wave pool.
"I witnessed something that left me heartbroken. It was 92 degrees and my family had just arrived when I saw a child being pulled, limp, from the wave pool," the witness said.
A lifeguard began CPR but was unable to save the child.
The witness said, "Staff did their best to shield onlookers from the trauma, but the weight of the moment was overwhelming."
According to the news report, multiple witnesses who said they were at the boardwalk at the time of the incident said they thought the lifeguards lacked urgency when responding.
In a statement, Hersheypark addressed these claims, saying "it is very unfortunate to hear the negative speculation regarding our response, which is categorically and provably false."
The spokesperson for the park reiterated that the lifeguard response was immediate, professional and consistent with their training.
The Department of Agriculture sent WGAL News 8 a statement on Monday afternoon, saying the Department of Health conducted a focused inspection at the park after Sophia's death on Thursday and found no safety violations.
"There is a family that is hurting right now, and they are also seeing this misinformation and it is only adding to the trauma that they're experiencing," said Warner.
What is the Boardwalk at Hersheypark?
The Boardwalk is the water park section of Hersheypark, featuring 16 water attractions, such as slides, a lazy river, and a wave pool.
As per their website, Hersheypark said that each aquatic attraction has a guest limit. To manage capacity, the park notes, "Timed swim sessions may be implemented to ensure every guest can safely enjoy their time in this attraction."
Our thoughts and prayers go out from WGOLV to the family, friends, and loved ones of this young girl.
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