Child, 9, Who Drowned At Hersheypark Identified: 'She Was Full Of Promise'

HERSHEY, PA — Additional details have emerged on the fatal drowning last week of a 9-year-old child at Hersheypark.

Funeral services will take place for Sphia Sudebdi on Wednesday in Harrisburg. She drowned in the park's wave pool. It is unclear if she suffered a medical incident prior to her death.

"At just nine years old, she was full of promise, innocence, and joy—a light in the lives of all who knew her. Her sudden and tragic departure has left a deep void in our hearts and in the community she was so warmly a part of," according to a social media post from Bhutanese Community in Harrisburg.

"Our entire community is grieving alongside the family during this unimaginably difficult time. Words cannot fully capture the depth of our pain, but we are united in our mourning and committed to standing with the family in love, prayer, and support.

"May her soul rest in eternal peace, and may her family find strength and comfort in the support of those around them."

Funeral and Memorial Service for Sophia Subedi is expected to take place Wednesday at Jesse H. Geigle Funeral Home in Harrisburg.

A GoFundMe page has been established in the child's memory.

John Lawn, the CEO of Hershey Entertainment, issued the following statement online:

"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 out lifeguards, on-site first responders and medical personnel.

"The child did not recover. Our hearts break for this child and the child's family. We
extend out deepest condolences for their loss."