A 5-year-old boy died after being pulled from the Anacostia River in Southeast D.C. Thursday evening.

About 6:20 p.m., first responders found the boy unconscious at Anacostia Park after family members and another person retrieved him from the river, a Metropolitan Police Department spokesperson said.

D.C. Fire and EMS took life-saving measures, and the boy was flown to a hospital by a U.S. Park Police helicopter, but he was pronounced dead, police said.

Witnesses told News4 a man they believe was the child’s father then rushed to the hospital.

It appears to be an accidental drowning, police said.

The scene was within sight of picnic pavilions filled with people grilling food and enjoying the warm spring evening.

Police interviewed witnesses and people who tried to help.

Swimming in the Anacostia is prohibited.

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Star outside back inks three-year deal with 2029 option 

Washington, D.C. (04/16/2026) – The Washington Spirit and star defender Kate Wiesner have agreed to a new contract, the club announced today. Wiesner’s new deal is a three-year contract with a 2029 club option and will replace her current contract that was set to expire at the end of this year.

“I am beyond excited to continue my time with the Spirit,” said Wiesner. “I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue to wear this jersey with pride as we continue to forge a legacy together. DC, you are my home, and I’m honored to represent the heart of this city, on and off the field.”

Currently in her third professional season, Wiesner has proven herself as a dynamic outside back in a talented Spirit defending third. With 40 total appearances for Washington since making her debut in 2024, the defender has totaled over 2,000 minutes of action and tallied two goals, both in away wins. Wiesner has continued to provide a spark in both the attacking and defending thirds so far in 2026, helping the Spirit earn back-to-back clean sheets as well as a convincing multi-goal win on the road last week.

“Kate is exactly the type of player and person we want in our organization and we’re thrilled to keep her in DC for at least the next three seasons,” said General Manager Nathan Minion. “We’ve been able to see Kate develop into a key piece of our back line since drafting her in 2024 and have extreme confidence in her being an integral part of our long-term plan to sustainably compete for championships each year.”

At the international level, Wiesner has been called in by the U.S. Women’s National Team in each of her three years with the Spirit. First earning a call-up as a training player during her rookie year, Wiesner was named to the senior team’s roster for the first time late last season. The defender has appeared in three matches for the USWNT so far. Wiesner was also a regular of various youth national teams throughout her pre-professional playing career as well.

Originally from Monrovia, California, Wiesner attended Penn State University before being taken by the Spirit with the seventh overall pick in the club’s historic draft class in 2024. In her career with the Nittany Lions, the defender appeared in over 70 matches, tallying 24 goal contributions across over 4,500 minutes of playing time. Wiesner was named to the Big Ten’s All-Tournament Team and Third Team following her senior campaign.

The Spirit will next take the pitch at Audi Field on Friday, April 24 when the side hosts the defending Shield winner Kansas City Current. Kicking off at 8 p.m. EDT, the match will see the top two teams from last season face off. Tickets are available at WashingtonSpirit.com/tickets.

About The Washington Spirit 

The Washington Spirit is the premier professional women’s soccer team based in Washington, D.C. and plays at Audi Field in Buzzard Point. The Spirit was founded on November 21, 2012 and is an inaugural member of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) the fastest growing sports league in the US. The club is home to some of the best players in the world who have won championships for both club and country. For more information about the Spirit, visit WashingtonSpirit.com and follow the club on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects who the Green Bay Packers could select in the 2026 NFL draft.

As it stands right now the Green Bay Packers have a pair of seventh-round picks during the 2026 NFL Draft. A potential target with one of those picks could be Anterio Thompson. The Washington defensive tackle had a 30 visit with the Packers and checks in at No. 11 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown.

A Wisconsin native, Thompson didn’t start playing football until his senior year of high school. He started his collegiate career at the JUCO level at Iowa Western Community College. He then transferred to Iowa for the 2023 season and logged 41 snaps on special teams and blocked two punts.

Following his lone season with the Hawkeyes, he transferred to Western Michigan for the 2024 season and recorded 1.5 tackles for loss, one sack and blocked another punt.