Four-year-old girl drowns at Colorado River by Gateway Park

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - A young child drowned in the Colorado River.

Many people and families visit gateway park to cool off in the extreme heat in the river.

However, on Thurday night,  tragedy struck as a four-year-old girl was swept away in the strong river's current. 

The call for help in locating a missing child in the river came in to Yuma Police around 8:30 Thursday evening. 
“Upon arriving, Yuma Police Department officers along with YCSO and YFD personnel immediately started trying to find the child,” said Officer Christina Fernandez.

While in the river, the four year old was swept away.
“The current is really fast, so she started off entering the water by the Ocean-to-Ocean bridge and when officers were able to locate her from the Fourth Avenue bridge is where they were able to recover her,” said Fernandez.

The Yuma Fire Department entered the water in jet skis, located and recovered the young girl downstream. 
Life-saving measures were immediately performed on scene.
“She was transported to the Yuma Regional Medical Center where she was pronounced deceased,” said Fernandez.

I spoke to locals at Gateway Park after the accident, offering sympathy to the child’s parents.
“Kids are fast! I can remember I had a three-year-old and no matter how hard I tried to keep an eye on her she would sneak away," said Yuma locals at Gateway Park.

She says she is praying for the young girl and her family.  
“Things happen. Unfortunate things happen. God’s grace and his mercy will comfort us through every hard and difficult place,” said Yuma locals at Gateway Park.

This is an ongoing investigation so if anyone has information regarding this case, call the Yuma Police Department or 78-crime to remain anonymous.