11-year-old girl dies in drowning at Lafayette creek

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WISH) — An 11-year-old girl died Sunday afternoon in a drowning at a Lafayette creek while out on the water with her brother.

Crews were called to Wildcat Creek Park in the 5300 block of Eisenhower Road just before 5 p.m. on a report of an endangered child, the Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Office said in a release Sunday night.

Investigators said initial reports from a person translating on behalf of a Hispanic family said the girl was last seen on land. Crews began searching by drone and later the Tippecanoe County Water Response Team started looking in Wildcat Creek near the area where the girl’s 13-year-old brother said he last saw her.

The girl was found underwater and taken to IU Health Arnett Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, according to police.

The family told investigators they searched for about an hour before contacting police.

Investigators said they believe neither of the kids were wearing life jackets.