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'Georgie was an amazing child' Parents share memories of boy who died in pool accident

WILKES-BARRE - Despite the heartache they are experiencing with the loss of their child, Daniel and Ann Marie Howey are doing their best to focus on all the wonderful memories of their 6-year-old son, George Samuel Roberts III, who died Wednesday in an accident in the swimming pool at Knoebels Amusement Park.

"Georgie was an amazing child," they said in a statement written Thursday. "He always had a crooked smile on his face. He always had a hug ready in his heart and arms. He truly wanted everybody to like him and be his friend. He loved WVIA, SpongeBob and iCarly. He slept every night with his Curious George stuffed monkey. He will be missed by a lot of people."

Stepfather Daniel Howey confirmed he and his wife, the boy's mother, posted comments about the tragedy on Facebook. Daniel Howey wrote, "We lost our son Georgie" at 5:06 p.m. Wednesday.

"The lifeguards gave him CPR and had him breathing on his own. Unfortunately, there was too much damage done," he wrote.

The boy was transported by ambulance to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville by Elysburg Fire Company Paramedic Unit.

"The doctors worked on him for over an hour trying to save him. I commend their efforts," the boy's stepfather wrote.

Locust Township Police Department confirmed Thursday that George was found at the bottom of the Crystal Pool at approximately 12:45 p.m. and was later pronounced dead at 5:06 p.m. at the hospital.

The boy, also the son of George Samuel Roberts Jr., of Hazleton, was found by an 11-year-old boy at the bottom of the swimming pool in approximately four feet of water, approximately 20 feet away from the pool edge in the area near the refreshment stand.

After the 11-year-old alerted a chaperone, that person retrieved George and transferred the boy to a lifeguard, who signaled for additional help. Several lifeguards, who were assisted by an off-duty paramedic and EMT, initiated CPR while Knoebels staff paramedic and EMT responded to the scene, said police.

George was resuscitated at the scene to the point where he had a pulse and was breathing.

Five lifeguards were in the pool area, and several others were in the slides and kiddie pool area, public relations manager Joe Muscato said, adding witnesses saw the boy jumping in and out of the shallow end of the pool in the location where he was found.

The death was the first from an accident at the park in the 85 years of the park's existence, he said Thursday afternoon.

"Yesterday was difficult, today was difficult, and we're here with heavy hearts," said Muscato.

The park's main website, which was temporarily altered, originally had a message of condolence posted stating the boy had suffered a head injury. On Thursday, the message was changed to say no head injury was involved.

Police confirmed that preliminary evaluations showed no signs of head or neck trauma and the cause of death is still under investigation. An autopsy is scheduled this morning at Lehigh Valley Medical Center, Allentown.

Daniel and Ann Marie Howey said they don't blame Knoebels or park staff for the death.

"We have both known CPR and rescue breathing for some time, and the staff at the pool did everything we would have done if the situation were different," they wrote in their statement. "We do not and will never hold Knoebels responsible for the tragic accident that fell upon our child."

The resort owners and staff fully cooperated with the investigation, said police.

The Montour County Coroner's Office, the family and the police department recognized and commended the efforts by the lifeguards, bystanders and EMS from Knoebels and Elysburg Fire Department for their efforts.

The emergency system and plan the park has in place worked flawlessly, said police.

Gift of Life

The Howeys have donated some of George's tissues through the Gift of Life.

The boy's mother wrote on Facebook that she "agreed to donate George's tissue, as well as his corneas and heart valves, so that perhaps another child can benefit from 'Shorty.' He was a very giving, loving child and I am sure if he could have understood he would have wanted that."

She commented on the hundreds of sympathetic messages on the park's Facebook page.

"It is beautiful in a time of such tragedy to have people come together for someone they don't even know," she wrote.

The swim school at Knoebels was canceled Thursday morning as a result of the investigation, but the pool was opened by late morning, Muscato said. Counselors were also brought in for any employee involved with the incident in case they needed to take advantage of their services, he added.

The Columbia County District Attorney's Office, the Ralpho Township Police Department, the Montour County Coroner's Office and Knoebels staff are assisting Locust Township Police.

Any witnesses who were at the pool Wednesday before or during this incident are asked to contact police at 799-5806.


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