Four Youths Dead, One Missing in KY Amish Buggy Accident

April 30, 2020

Rescue workers from multiple agencies continue to search for a missing child who was a member of an Amish family whose horse-drawn buggy was swept away while trying to cross a Bath County stream.

By Valarie Honeycutt Spears

Source Lexington Herald-Leader

Rescue workers from multiple agencies continue to search for a missing child who was a member of an Amish family whose horse-drawn buggy was swept away while trying to cross a stream in Bath County, KY, on Wednesday. Four children died, and an adult made it to land and called for help.

LEXINGTON, KY—Despite searching all night, emergency crews had not yet found a missing fifth child Thursday morning after four other youths died when they were swept away in the current of a swollen stream in Bath County.

Five children and one adult were dumped in the water when a buggy pulled by a horse tried to cross a low water bridge, according to Kentucky State Police.

The adult was able to make it to the bank and call for help, police said. By 1 a.m. Thursday, four of the children had been found dead.

State police Trooper Scott Ferrell said Thursday that the search for the fifth continued overnight.

Authorities were notified of the accident about 4:25 p.m. Wednesday, he said. The buggy overturned when the horse lost its footing.

The children were thought to be siblings, he said.

Many agencies helped state police in the search. Those included the Kentucky National Guard, Bath County sheriff’s department, Owingsville police, Bath County EMS, Owingsville fire and rescue, Salt Lick Fire Department, Olympia Fire Department, Farmers Search and Rescue, Bath County emergency management, Morgan County Search and Rescue, Montgomery County Search and Rescue, Montgomery County sheriff’s office, Montgomery County emergency management and Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife.

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