Hersheypark Remained Open Following the Death of a 9-Year-Old Boy — Here's What Happened

Although amusement parks are built to entertain, they are not immune to deadly accidents. In July 1980, a 23-year-old man was killed and a 27-year-old woman was injured while riding the Fire in the Hole rollercoaster at Missouri's Silver Dollar City amusement park. Eighteen years later, a man was killed while retrieving his fallen hat from a restricted area. He was hit by the dangling legs of a passenger on the Top Gun roller coaster at California’s Great America amusement park.

Sadly, there are countless examples of fatal incidents at amusement parks, most of which are accidents. Pennsylvania's Hersheypark was the scene of a deadly situation in July 2025 that left park goers shocked and a family grieving. What happened? Here's what we know.

Like many modern amusement parks, Hersheypark is divided into sections. The main area contains all the rides, including but not limited to the thrill rides, like rollercoasters. There is also Hershey's Chocolate World, an attraction that offers a ton of sweet chocolate-themed experiences. Then there is The Boardwalk at Hersheypark, which is a waterpark where folks can cool off. This is where the deadly incident occurred.

According to a post to Hersheypark's Instagram from Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company CEO John Lawn, a 9-year-old guest was "tragically lost" at The Boardwalk at Hershey on July 24, 2025. "From the moment our lifeguard team recognized that a child was in distress, they performed an immediate rescue, followed by continuous, coordinated life-saving efforts by our lifeguards, on-site first responders, and medical personnel," said the statement.

The child was transported to Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, where they were pronounced dead. A witness who chose to remain anonymous told WGAL they saw a "limp child pulled from the wave pool." They continued, "Staff did their best to shield onlookers from the trauma, but the weight of the moment was overwhelming."

Lawn's statement on social media assured guests that their safety is the highest priority. "In the coming days," wrote Lawn, "we will conduct a thorough internal review and cooperate fully with authorities." He also asked for privacy as they are grieving alongside members of the community as well as staff who were affected by this loss.

Prior to this death, the last fatal incident occurred almost 50 years ago, per the Lebanon Daily News. In August 1977, a 16-year-old employee died while performing routine maintenance on the park's rollercoaster, the SooperDooperLooper. David Harter was working there for the summer when he was reportedly struck by one of the coaster's trains after it accidentally started.

Staff immediately administered medical assistance to Harter, who was then taken to Hershey Medical Center. He was pronounced dead less than an hour later. In June of this same year, another maintenance worker was injured while working on the chair lift ride. Their legs were pinned beneath a moving cable atop a 16-foot tower. They underwent emergency surgery and survived.