Girl drowns trying to help sister who fell into pool at Ohio hotel

WHEELERSBURG, Ohio — An 11-year-old girl died when she jumped into a hotel swimming pool in an attempt to help her younger sister, who had fallen into the water.

The Scioto County Sheriff’s Office says Mackenzie Cornell was rushed to Southern Ohio Medical Center in Wheelersburg after she was pulled from the pool at a Quality Inn, but she could not be revived.

Mackenzie and her 9-year-old sister were attending a pool party at the hotel, according to a news release from the sheriff’s office. Emergency workers were called to the hotel at 6:09 p.m. when the girls were found in the water.

When emergency workers arrived, the 9-year-old girl had been resuscitated, the news release says, but CPR was being performed on Mackenzie. The 9-year-old was taken to the hospital by her father while EMS workers continued to perform CPR on Mackenzie before taking her to the hospital.

No information was released on the condition of the 9-year-old girl. The sheriff’s office is investigating the incident.

Wheelersburg is located about 240 miles south of Cleveland on the Ohio River, bordering Kentucky.