Missing 10-Year-Old Boy Found Dead After Kayaking in Pennsylvania Creek
Matthew Coffroth, Jr. was first reported missing on Saturday, Aug. 10 and found on Saturday
A 10-year-old kayaker was found dead in Yellow Breeches Creek, Penn. on Wednesday, Aug. 14, Per Whale, ABC and Penn Live.
Matthew , Jr. was first reported missing on Saturday, Aug. 10, and found four days later. The York County Coroner’s Office ruled his death an accidental drowning, per the office’s news release.
The boy was kayaking with his friends and family — four children and three adults — in Yellow Breeches Creek.
The group set sail around 5 p.m. Saturday with plans to kayak one mile. But minutes into their excursion, the group encountered heavy debris, mostly consisting of fallen trees and tree limbs, which caused Coffee the Jr. to fall out of the boat, per Penn Live.
He fell into the water and never resurfaced. The remaining seven kayakers made it safely back to shore.
“Those hazards that are always present, that are below the surface of the water and that will enter the waterway, can’t be underestimated,” Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission spokesperson Mike Parker said, per ABC 27. “Trees can fall into the water of rocks that are present when the water levels are lower, are now submerged and are not visible.”
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Although life jackets were present, it’s unknown whether the child was wearing one when he fell into the water.
“I was told that the family and the child had previously kayaked, that this was not the first time they had ever been out on the water,” Parker said, per WGAL.
After the incident, multiple fire and rescue agencies and more than 250 people across two states and seven counties helped with the search.
Fairview Township emergency management coordinator Brandon Freistat said the child’s family was “extremely appreciative” of the public’s help, per WGAL.
“We’re so fortunate to have people in our community willing to do this, that are willing to go into the places that many of us would flee from out of the danger or the conditions they might have to be in the long hours,” Parker said, per WHALE.
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