Child dies after incident in Hersheypark’s water park, CEO says

A 9-year-old died Thursday after an incident at the Boardwalk at Hersheypark, the theme park’s CEO said.

Hersheypark lifeguards immediately performed life-saving efforts after finding the child who was in distress, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company CEO John Lawn said in a late-night statement Thursday.

The child was taken to Milton S. Hershey Medical Center but later died. The child’s cause and manner of death are unclear at this time.

According to Dauphin County 911 dispatch logs, first-responders were called to Hersheypark’s main first aid building around 6:45 p.m. for an incident involving a “9 or 10 year old.”

A statement was posted to Hersheypark’s Facebook page late Thursday:

“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 statement said.

Hersheypark plans to conduct a “thorough internal review” and will fully cooperate with all authorities, it says.

“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,” the statement said. “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.”

The Boardwalk at Hersheypark is a water park area of the amusement park. It includes a lazy river, water slides, a wave pool and splash pads.