Girl dies after falling through icy lake in Ohio; responding officer also dies
A 16-year-old girl died and a teenage boy was injured after they fell through an icy lake in Ohio, officials said. Jason Lagore, an Ohio Natural Resources Department police officer who responded to the call at Rocky Fork State Park in Hillsboro, also died after he suffered a medical emergency, authorities said.
Lagore became ill shortly after he responded to the incident, which was reported around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Authorities said it occurred at a private dock down a steep incline on the north side of Rocky Fork Lake at the 2,080-acre park in Highland County
The 13-year-old boy tried unsuccessfully to locate the girl before he freed himself from the ice and water, authorities said. The boy was taken to a hospital for treatment of hypothermia, but further details on his condition have not been released.
It took more than four hours before emergency crews found the girl, who had been trapped under the ice, officials said. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities have not released the names of the teens or said if they were related.
Lagore, a married father with two young sons, was a 15-year-veteran of the force and was responsible for its first canine training academy, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources said on Facebook.
Thank you for the outpouring of support for Officer Jason Lagore, his family, and his fellow officers today. At the...
Posted by Ohio Department of Natural Resources on Wednesday, February 24, 2021
"Please keep Officer Lagore and his family in your prayers," the department said.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine ordered flags to be flown at half-staff at public buildings in Highland County and others in Columbus to honor Lagore.
The Highland County Sheriff's Office and the Ohio Division of Natural Resources were investigating the incident.
In a similar incident, two men were rescued after they fell through ice in Tipp City around 10 a.m. Wednesday. The men were in the water for at least 15 minutes before emergency responders got them to safety, authorities said.
Both men were taken to a hospital, but their names and further details on their conditions were not immediately released. No other injuries were reported in the incident.