Television news reports indicate that the accident happened early Saturday night at the Stoenycreek river in Johnstown. Officials say that 10 year old Dakota Locher apparently dropped a toy into the river, and when went into retrieve it, he disappeared under the strong current of water. Dive team members searched for nearly two hours and finally located the child, and rushed him to Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, but he was pronounced dead shortly before midnight. Cambria County Coroner Jeff Lees ruled the child’s death accidental. 4 fire departments responded to the call, along with the Cambria County dive team.
