70-year-old woman dies after suffering heart attack, drowning at Georgia waterpark

A woman died after having a medical emergency at the Splash in the Boro waterpark in Statesboro Thursday afternoon.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

According to the Bulloch County Coroner Jake Futch, a 70-year-old woman went into cardiac arrest while in the lazy river and drowned.

The coroner identified the woman as Pauline Harden of Springfield.

TRENDING STORIES:

• Atlanta DEA takes down Mexican cartel meth conversion lab in Gwinnett County

• 3 kids dead after woman tries stabbing them inside burning house, deputies say

• Supreme Court could overturn gay rights rulings after abortion decision, local attorneys say

Harden had reportedly been seen floating with her hands or arms on a float but her head was in the water, The Statesboro Herald reported.

“One of the lifeguards pulled her out, and an off-duty city police officer with EMT training was there with the same group of kids, or same camp if you will, and started doing CPR immediately, but there was no bringing her back,” coroner Futch said.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

According to The Statesboro Herald, Harden was at Splash with young children, attending an event for CAMP Rad, a program hosted by the Georgia Southern University for adolescents with disabilities. She was not a camp staff member.

The water park is operated by the Statesboro-Bulloch County Park, which released a statement about the incident.

“The Board of Commissioners is aware of an incident that occurred at Splash in the Boro Waterpark today. Out of respect for the family, we will not release any public information at this time. Splash in the Boro has closed today,” community relations manager Broni Gainous said.

IN OTHER NEWS: