9-Year-Old Girl Accidentally Drowns in Hersheypark Wave Pool Amid 100 Lifeguards

Sophia Subedi, a 9-year-old girl from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, tragically drowned in the wave pool called "The Shore" at Hersheypark despite the presence of over 100 lifeguards, with 10 specifically assigned to the pool area. An autopsy confirmed her death was due to accidental freshwater drowning, with no medical event preceding the incident. The wave pool, which holds 378,000 gallons of water and has a maximum depth of six feet, was crowded at the time, and lifeguards performed immediate life-saving efforts before she was transported to Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. Hershey Entertainment & Resorts CEO John Lawn expressed deep sorrow and announced a thorough internal review of the incident. The Bhutanese Community of Harrisburg identified Sophia and shared that she was a bright and kind child who had just completed third grade and was about to start fourth grade. Funeral services are planned, and a GoFundMe has been established to support her family, as the community mourns the loss of this young girl.