Latest news with #ReeseHanshaw
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Heroic teen girl's brave final act before drowning in West Virginia river... as cops make two arrests
A brave teenage girl got swept away by a current and drowned while trying to save her cousin's son in a West Virginia river. Reese Hanshaw, 13, of Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, tragically lost her life on June 30 when she, a group of children, and two adults, Ashley Shelton, 29 and Joshua Lockerbie, 34, took a trip to the Ohio River. Shelton and Lockerbie, of Weirton, drove six children, aged four to 13-year-old, to the river in We to swim that day when a strong current took over Hanshaw around 7pm. Hanshaw desperately tried to save the little boy near the Veterans Memorial Bridge. Heavy rainfall throughout the day made the water level higher than normal, sparking dangerous conditions, the Weirton Police Department said. Officers rushed to the scene within minutes, as one cop swam out to save Hanshaw and performed life-saving measures on her. She was then taken to the hospital where she died, Weirton Police Chief Charlie Kush said. Following her sudden death, the teen's aunt revealed her final heroic act just before she drowned. 'While enjoying a summer day with her cousins, Reese heroically gave her life saving her cousin's little boy, who was swept away by a sudden rip current,' Becky Watlet, Hanshaw's mother's sister, said on Facebook. Shelton and Lockerbie, who are in a relationship, were arrested Wednesday and charged with six felonies. It is unclear what their relationship was to Hanshaw or the other children. Police said they chose to bring several children to the river despite high water levels. Investigators also noted no flotation devices were present. The couple were also aware that none of the children were strong swimmers, police said. They are both charged with child neglect resulting in death and child neglect with risk of death or injury, according to arrest records obtained by Daily Mail. Shelton and Lockerbie are being held at the Northern Regional Jail in Moundsville on a $150,000 bail each, per records. Although boats are common in the river, people don't often swim or go fishing in the water, especially in hazardous conditions, Kush told CBS News. 'You have to be responsible, you have to know the limitations of the people that you're with if you are letting juveniles do these types of things,' he explained. The police chief added that 'it was just unusual' for people to go down to that river to swim in the bad weather. Hanshaw has been remembered as a 'bright and creative spirit' who had just finished the eighth grade, her obituary read. The rising high school freshman was also 'a proud member of the Turtle Club' and was known for her 'deep love for animals.' 'A talented and imaginative soul, she enjoyed drawing, crafting, creating videos, and editing,' the page read. Watlet called her late niece a 'shining light' who was also 'kind, courageous, and full of love. 'Her selflessness and bravery will forever be remembered by all who knew her,' she continued. She went on to ask the public to help raise money for her sister and brother-in-law during this difficult time. A GoFundMe page was created by her other aunt Heather Durbin to help raise money, and as of Sunday afternoon, more than $10,500 was collected. 'We are so grateful for any support, kindness, and love you can share as we honor Reese's memory,' Watlet wrote. Several of Hanshaw's classmates posted heartfelt messages about her following her death. 'Reese, I always sat with you the few days we had left of school,' one wrote. 'We weren't close but you were always kind and I remember you giving me candy all the time and starting conversations with me when I had nobody to talk to on the bus.' Another said: 'The last remaining years of school won't be the same without. Not seeing you in the hallways will be a big change because you made everyone laugh in the hallways. Rest in peace Reese…' A funeral was held for Hanshaw on Tuesday in her hometown. This is not Lockerbie's first run-in with the law, as he was previously arrested for speeding, driving under suspension, simple assault, and theft, among other offenses, according to public records.
The Independent
03-07-2025
- The Independent
13-year-old girl drowns trying to save cousin who was swept away by sudden current in West Virginia river
A 13-year-old Pennsylvania girl drowned after getting swept away by a strong rip current while trying to save her cousin as he swam in the Ohio River. Reese Hanshaw, of Burgettstown, was swimming with some of her relatives Monday around 7 p.m. near the Veterans Memorial Bridge in Weirton, West Virginia, when she got pulled away by a strong current, WPXI-TV reported. The teen had jumped into the stream to try and help when one of her younger cousins, as he was struggling to swim amidst the strong currents, got pulled away in the process, her family said. Police and EMS responded to the section of the river within minutes and brought Reese to shore. Life-saving efforts were immediately performed before she was taken to Weirton Medical Center, where she died. Weirton Police Chief Charlie Kush told WTAE that officers were nearby and responded quickly. "She was swimming with family members, and they could not get to her,' Kush said. 'Our officers happened to be, luckily enough, in the area where they responded very quickly. And one of our officers, Officer Adam Mortimer, entered the water and swam out around 40 yards and was able to bring her back to the shore.' The teen's aunt, Becky Watlet, said her death was an 'unimaginable loss' in a Facebook post. 'While enjoying a summer day with her cousins, Reese heroically gave her life saving her cousin's little boy, who was swept away by a sudden rip current,' Watlet wrote. 'At just 13 years old, Reese was a shining light – kind, courageous, and full of love. Her selflessness and bravery will forever be remembered by all who knew her.' Another aunt, Heather Durbin, set up a GoFundMe to help Hanshaw's father, a single dad to four kids, cover funeral expenses. 'We appreciate any and all support in this trying time as we grieve the loss of someone so young,' she wrote along with the fundraiser. As of Thursday, over $8,000 had been raised.
