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The bodies of two women and three men were pulled out of Ohio’s Scioto River after an extended search which started on July 19
NEED TO KNOW
- New details are emerging about the five adults who died in Ohio after a group reportedly rushed into a river to save a struggling swimmer
- Two women and three men were pulled out of the Scioto River in the Columbus suburb of Powell after a search began on July 19
- Two children under the age of 10 were with the group, and they have since been placed in the care of family services
The identities have been released for two of five adults who died over the weekend after a group rushed into an Ohio river to reportedly help a struggling swimmer.
Jose Mario Pineda Dias, 33, and his wife, 28-year-old Marina Suyapa Regalado of Honduras, were believed to be joined by a second married Honduran couple and their adult friend, the Associated Press and ABC News reported Tuesday, July 21.
PEOPLE reached out to Delaware County Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
The names of the other couple and the third individual have not yet been publicly released.
Honduran authorities confirmed on Tuesday that four of the five adults were citizens of Honduras, according to AP News.
The group, comprised of the five adults and two underage children, was reportedly together near the Scioto River in the Columbus suburb of Powell on the evening of Sunday, July 19, when the incident occurred.
During a press conference the following day, the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that they were alerted at around 9 p.m. local time after a driver spotted a “clearly distraught” child searching for help on the road.
“My understanding is that a group of people came to the river sometime last evening to enjoy themselves on a summer night, including some fishing. We believe one of the folks got in the river to go swimming, and that’s when the tragedy started to occur,” Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer told assembled press.
Authorities believe that the swimmer started struggling, which sparked a chain reaction of the group rushing to help but also running into problems themselves.
When the child — a boy who has not yet been identified by name — managed to flag down a passerby for help, he told them that his family was “in the river,” sparking a search effort for the individuals.
Two of the adult women’s bodies were removed from the river on Sunday evening, and they were pronounced dead at local hospitals. The three men’s bodies were found on Monday, July 20.
An investigation into the matter is still ongoing. Tracy Whited, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s department, told The New York Times that the organization experienced “a few challenges,” including “a slight language barrier.”
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The children, who are 6 and 7, according to The New York Times, were placed in the care of family services. Efforts are being made to reconnect them with family or friends.
Scott Varner, a spokesperson for the agency, told PEOPLE that the children had been interacting with Crisis K-9s, or therapy dogs, to help with them cope.
“You can [imagine] the trauma these two children are experiencing,” he said, continuing, “We don’t want to add to that more than necessary, which is why we strive to identify someone the children know or have a connection to.”
Read the original article on People
