Rescue workers, including Task Force One, searched the waters during the late afternoon on July 30 for Noah Kreml’s body.

Rescue workers, including Task Force One, searched the waters during the late afternoon on July 30 for Noah Kreml’s body.
By Kelly Doran
Editor

A child and a teenager both drowned the afternoon of July 30, one at Harsha Lake and the other in a pond at Camp Allyn.

Around 2 p.m. Noah Kreml, 16, of Peebles, fell off an intertube while boating with a family friend and did not reemerge from the water, said Daniel Cox, law enforcement staff officer with Ohio State Parks.

Officers from Task Force 1, the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and Central Joint Fire and EMS used two different types of sonar and police canines to try to locate Kreml in an area of the water deeper than 60 feet, Cox said.

Officers searched the water and the shores until 2 a.m., when Boone County Water Rescue found Kreml’s body, said Stephanie Leis, who works in communications for ODNR.

Divers with Task Force 1 rescued Kreml, Leis said.

Witnesses stated that Kreml was wearing a life jacket before he fell off the tube, but that will remain under investigation while witnesses are interviewed again, Leis said.

There are always boating accidents at Harsha Lake during peak periods, Cox said.

“Until the case is completed the casualty factors are still under investigation.  Thus, we know at this point there was no observer which is a violation in the State of Ohio,” said Matt Kruse, Southern Region Investigator.

At least three Facebook groups have been made in memory of Kreml, including “R.I.P Noah Kreml” and “Praying for all the Family of Noah Kreml.”

Kylie Griffin, 6, of Anderson Township, was with a group of other children attending a day camp at Camp Allyn. They were playing on a playground area. The day camp workers were doing headcounts every 10-15 minutes. Griffin was seen at 2:45 p.m., but gone by the next headcount, Chief Deputy Steve Leahy said.

When workers discovered Griffin was missing, they sounded an alarm for the whole camp and began searching. Searchers noticed shoes and other items that made them believe she climbed a fence near the pond and got into the pond, Leahy said.

Searchers jumped in the pond and quickly located Griffin. They immediately started CPR, Leahy said.

Griffin was transported to Clermont Mercy Hospital and then to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital via aircare. She was pronounced dead at children’s at 5:30 p.m., Leahy said.

“It’s a terrible tragedy,” Leahy said.