Despite a "valiant effort" from firefighters and emergency responders, a 9-year-old boy rescued from the bottom of Mill Creek Tuesday afternoon died at Children's Hospital later that night, Cincinnati Lt. Steve Saunders confirmed.
A Wednesday morning report from the Hamilton County Coroner identified the boy as Kingdesmond Jennings.
Assistant Fire Chief Anson Turley found the scene that afternoon by chance, he said shortly after the rescue. A group of frantic children flagged him down as he crossed Mill Creek Bridge, he said, one screaming: “Help me! Help me! He’s going under! He went under!”
The group had been swimming in the creek when the 9-year-old disappeared beneath 8 feet of water, according to Turley. More than 50 firefighters, sanitation workers and other emergency responders would answer his call for help.