Search suspended for 9-month-old boy who was swept away in Bucks County flooding
PHILADELPHIA - A 9-month-old boy is presumed dead after he was swept away during flash flooding that claimed the lives of six others, including his 2-year-old sister and their mother.
Police in Upper Makefield Township announced Thursday they have suspended the 10-day-long search for Conrad Sheils without finding the infant's body.
"With broken hearts, we regretfully announce that the active search for Conrad has concluded," the department wrote.
Conrad and his 2-year-old sister Matilda were visiting the area from South Carolina and driving to a family barbeque when heavy downpours dumped 7 inches of rain in 45 minutes.
The children's mother, 32-year-old Katie Seley, also died in the flash flooding that was described officials as a ‘wall of water’ that overtook the roadway. Four other victims drown in the flooding.
Seley's husband, the family's grandmother, and their oldest son managed to escape unharmed. Matilda's body was found in the Delaware River near Philadelphia last Friday.
The widespread search spanned the Pennsylvania and New Jersey sides of the Delaware, and utilized divers, boats, drones and sonar.
"Although, at this time, we were unable to reunite Conrad with his loving family, he will forever live in our hearts and he will never be forgotten," police wrote.