6-year-old boy remains missing after mother drowns trying to rescue him from Massachusetts river

A 6-year-old boy stays lacking days after his mom drowned whereas attempting to rescue him and his sister from a Massachusetts river.

The kid disappeared into the Merrimack River Thursday night whereas together with his household, who have been fishing and swimming on Deer Island, a leisure space close to the Amesbury and Newburyport border, police mentioned.

The seek for the boy — recognized by Massachusetts State Police as Mas DeChhat of Lowell — resumed Saturday morning. Divers and boat operators with the state police continued to go looking the river together with divers from the Boston Hearth Division utilizing sonar gadgets and tow bars.

Native authorities additionally concerned within the search mentioned Friday that first responders had shifted right into a restoration effort.

“We have seen a number of tragedies on the river, however not normally the place a complete household is affected,” Newburyport Hearth Chief Christopher LeClaire advised reporters Friday.

Mas was supposedly reaching for a stick when he fell into the water round 7 p.m. Thursday, state police mentioned. His 7-year-old sister tried to seize him and in addition fell into the water.

As each have been pulled alongside by the swift present, their mom “entered the water to save lots of her youngsters,” Massachusetts State Police spokesperson Dave Procopio mentioned in a press release Saturday. Their mom, recognized as 29-year-old Boua DeChhat, “was not recognized to swim,” Procopio mentioned.

Whereas the three have been swept upstream by the present, the kids’s father additionally went into the water to attempt to save them.

“The daddy additionally was not a swimmer, couldn’t attain his family members, and commenced to wrestle himself,” Procopio mentioned.

The daddy managed to make it again to shore and was later hospitalized for publicity to the chilly waters, police mentioned.

Boua DeChhat and her daughter have been finally pulled from the water by a fishing boat operator. The mom was unresponsive, whereas her daughter was alert, authorities mentioned. The 2 have been transported to a close-by hospital, the place the mom was pronounced lifeless. The daughter has since been handled and launched.

Native resident Mark Bajko advised Boston ABC affiliate WCVB he and a police officer administered CPR to the mom after she was pulled ashore.

“The little woman stopped crying and yells, ‘My brother’s nonetheless within the water,’” Bajko advised the station.

Mas was not seen within the water when his mom and sister have been pulled out, police mentioned.

LeClaire mentioned the robust present within the river has challenged search efforts.

The U.S. Coast Guard has additionally been concerned within the search because the boy went into the water. Coast Guard Sector Boston mentioned Friday night that it had suspended its search “pending new data.”

“It’s at all times a tough determination to droop a search and rescue case, and much more painful when youngsters are concerned,” Capt. Kailie Benson, Coast Guard Sector Boston commander, mentioned in a press release. “Contemplating the in depth search efforts by the Coast Guard and the quite a few state and native businesses, together with on-scene circumstances, I’ve made the choice to droop the seek for the lacking 6-year-old boy.”

She added, “Our prayers are with the boy and mom’s household and mates throughout this time.”