LICKING COUNTY — A 15-year-old girl has died after being rescued from a Ohio river on Sunday.
Fire crews responded to a river in Licking County just before 3:30 p.m. for the report of people hanging on a downed tree in the water, east of Staddens Bridge.
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Madison Township Fire Chief Nick Garver told our news partners at WBNS that a family was kayaking when their daughter became trapped in a logjam.
Garver said it was “incredibly difficult” to remove the teenager from the log.
“We had a great deal of difficulty getting her because of the current, and there is a deep area. Most of the time in the Licking River, you can walk right across it, but the river is up because of all the recent rain,” Garver said.
Garver said the flood stage made the situation more dangerous and advised the public of high water levels.
He said that even though the water levels have come down, it’s still above normal with a strong current.
“You will literally get swept off your feet if you try to walk across the river. If you get swept under logs and get pinched, you really don’t have the power to get yourself out,” said Garver.
Rescue crews were able to free the teenager and move her to a nearby sandbar, where they began to perform CPR.
She was taken to Licking Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead after life-saving efforts.
The teenager was identified as Brenda Montgomery, according to the Licking County Coroner’s Office.
Garver said Montgomery was wearing a life jacket at the time that she was trapped.
A man and a woman were also rescued from the log jam. No other injuries were reported.
“To look at it, it doesn’t look like it’s dangerous, but if the river is up, it’s dangerous if you’re not an experienced kayaker or canoer,” Garver said.
Garver said that if you plan to be on the river, have the proper safety equipment, and let people know where you’re putting in and when you expect to get out.
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