9-year-old girl found underwater at Derby aquatic park is in critical condition

Derby police are investigating after a 9-year-old girl was rescued from the water by a lifeguard and taken to a hospital in critical condition, officials said.

Emergency crews were called at around 6:43 p.m. Thursday to a near drowning at 1900 E. James in Derby, the address of Rock River Rapids Aquatic Park, a Sedgwick County dispatch supervisor said. One patient was taken to a hospital in critical condition.

Emergency radio traffic indicated she was unresponsive in the ambulance on her way to Wesley Medical Center’s emergency room, and that it was unknown how long she had been in the water.

The 9-year-old girl was rescued by a lifeguard after seeing that she was in distress in the pool, Derby officials said in a news release. Rock River Rapids closed at 7 p.m., and all evening classes were canceled.

“Since the park opened in 2004, there have been no serious incidents,” the news release states. “Rock River Rapids lifeguards are trained for situations like this and can be commended for their quick response.”

This story was originally published July 25, 2019 at 7:49 PM.