Pregnant woman, son killed after car swept away in flood waters in Berks County

A pregnant woman and her 8-year-old son were found dead Thursday night in a swollen Berks County creek several hours after emergency personnel responded to a 911 call from someone trapped in a vehicle in rising waters in that area.Douglass Township Police Chief John Dzurek said the Berks County Coroner’s Office was called at about 10 p.m. to the area of Pine Forge and Grist Mill roads near Ironstone Creek, Douglass Township.After searching for nearly five hours, emergency workers found the car in a tributary about a half-mile down the Manatawny Creek. The coroner was called soon after.Dzurek said the woman was on the phone with emergency officials. The call then dropped.A police car is parked near the site where flooding claimed the lives of a pregnant woman and her son after their car was swept away Thursday, July 11, 2019 in Boyertown, Pa. (Michael Yoder/)The coroner’s office and police continue to investigate and the identities of the woman and child have not been released.The National Weather Service had issued a flash flood emergency after more than 6 inches of rain dumped onto the area.The weather service says a number of vehicle and residential evacuations took place after the rain-packing storm moved into parts of Berks and Montgomery counties. Officials described the flash flooding as “an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation.”The Associated Press contributed to this report.Morning Call reporter Andrew Scott can be reached at 610-820-6508 or ascott@mcall.com.
Source: Morningcall