Pocono News Section

Community Mourns Children's Deaths

Community Mourns Children's Deaths - Tuesday, August 18, 2009 at 5:44PM EST

Reported by: Jeremy Deebel
Tuesday, Aug 18, 2009 @ 05:44pm EST
var images = new Array(); Lewisburg, Union County-

It was an eerily quiet afternoon here along the banks of the Susquehanna River Tuesday. 11-year-old Assunda “Suzy” Rotolo and eight-year-old Leslie Davis, Jr. were pulled lifeless from these waters just a day before.

Rotolo was a student in the Lewisburg School District. We're told grief counselors were on hand throughout the morning at Linntown Intermediate School to help students cope with the tragedy.

At places like the Fence Drive-In, the dangers of the river and the accident that unfolded here were the talk of this quiet town all day long.

Brittany Reber, of Lewisburg, said, "It's just kind of tragic especially since it's around here. We get a lot of people from the community coming in and talking about it and you see their reactions, so it affects you."

Rod Laubach, of Mifflinburg, stopped along the river bank on his lunch break. He knows the water can be dangerous.

Laubach recalled, "Last year at this time you could walk across it right here. It was very shallow. But this river's a little treacherous and you gotta pay attention. And I think somebody wasn't paying attention."

Dennis Stackhouse camps along the Susquehanna River at the Steel Steeds Shoreline Campground.

He explained, "The river is quite wide and there are some strong currents in the river. You gotta watch where you go and what you're doing."

Stackhouse recalls going to local swimming holes alone as a youngster, but hopes parents today will be more vigilant. He added, "Luckily some of us had a second chance. These two kids didn't. It's sad, you know? It really is."

We're told counseling was also offered for all the volunteers and emergency responders who helped search for the children.