UPDATED: 9:44 p.m., Friday:
Officials “strongly believe” that the body of a young girl found in the Delaware River Friday evening was missing Matilda “Mattie” Sheils, 2, who was swept away in flash flooding last Saturday.
Just past 5 p.m., Philadelphia authorities received a call about a body in the Delaware River. A second caller stated the body was south of the Betsy Ross Bridge in the Port Richman section of the city, Upper Makefield Township Volunteer Fire Company Chief Tim Brewer told reporters at a Friday night press conference.
Credit: Submitted
Using boats, officials retrieved the body of the young girl from the river and brought the remains to shore around 5:30 p.m. Medics from the Philadelphia Fire Department pronounced the girl deceased.
Brewer said the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office took custody of the remains. Authorities were working to confirm the body belongs to the missing girl.
Mattie’s brother, Conrad Sheils, 9 months, remained missing as of nightfall.
Credit: Tom Sofield/NewtownPANow.com
Search efforts will resume Saturday on land, in local waters, and on the Delaware River from Upper Makefield Township to Philadelphia, Brewer said.
Numerous search teams from around the region have been taking part in the ongoing effort to recover Conrad. Philadelphia police have been among the agencies assisting in Bucks County with the search.
Original Story:
Upper Makefield Township authorities will hold a press conference at 9 p.m. Friday after the body of a child was found in the Delaware River in Philadelphia.
Multiple sources confirmed to NewtownPANow.com that authorities in Bucks County and Philadelphia were working to determine if the remains were connected to the search for Matilda (Mattie) Sheils, 2, and Conrad Sheils, 9 months, who were swept away last Saturday evening in flash flooding along Washington Crossing Road (Route 532).
The Philadelphia Police Department confirmed the body of a little girl believed to be around the age of 2 was discovered in the river in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia.
City officials used boats to retrieve the girl’s remains, and the girl was pronounced deceased at 5:30 p.m. by Philadelphia Fire Department medics, a statement said.
Since last weekend, search efforts in Upper Makefield Township have been carried out to find the missing kids. The search operation was set to continue on Saturday.
The river search had been stunted in recent days due to poor conditions.
