9. Second child who fell through New York ice has died

Tragedy struck Albany, New York, when two children lost their lives after falling through thin ice at Washington Park Lake. The heartbreaking incident, which occurred on December 7, 2024, involved a 12-year-old boy and an 11-year-old girl.

According to police, the boy attempted to cross the frozen lake to reach the lake house but fell through the ice. The girl, in a brave act of friendship, tried to rescue him but also fell in.

Emergency services responded to the scene around 4:35 p.m. and were able to pull the girl from the water, transporting her to Albany Medical Center Hospital. Sadly, she succumbed to her injuries on December 10. During a secondary search, the New York State Police underwater recovery team recovered the boy’s body.

The Albany Police Department expressed their condolences in a statement: “The Albany Police Department extends its heartfelt condolences and support to the families and friends of both children during this difficult time.” Because of their ages, the children’s names have not been released.

Both children were students at North Albany Middle School, part of the City School District of Albany. After the boy’s death on December 7, the district released a statement to notify students and staff of available crisis services. Following the girl’s passing, the district shared further resources to support the grieving school community.

Superintendent Joseph Hochreiter reflected on the loss in a heartfelt message (via WNYT): “Our school community was heartbroken yet again Tuesday to learn that the second North Albany Middle School student involved in Saturday’s tragic accident in Washington Park has died. Our hearts go out to the family of this student, who gave their life trying to save their friend. We will remember that selfless courage even as we mourn another unimaginable loss.”

In response to the incident, the city installed “Keep Off the Ice” signs at Washington Park to prevent further accidents, CBS detailed. Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan emphasized the dangers of walking on frozen bodies of water, particularly given how thin the ice was.

“Two young people ventured out onto the ice. It was very thin. It was shocking they made it as far out into the lake as they did,” she said. Sheehan urged the community to remain vigilant, adding, “It’s just a reminder of how fragile life can be and how important it is that we ensure that our children and everyone in our community know venturing out onto the ice is not safe.”

The tragic loss of these two young lives has left the Albany community mourning in what is usually supposed to be one of the happiest times of the year.