Kathryn Schmidt, a 10-year-old girl, has been identified as the third child victim of a boating accident that occurred on Lake Geneva in Wisconsin. The incident took place on Friday when a severe storm rapidly swept through Walworth County, capsizing the vessel on which Schmidt and her cousins, 6-year-old Caleb Oswald and 7-year-old Abigail Oswald, were passengers.
Schmidt's father, Jonathon, described his daughter as an "amazing girl with a bubbly personality" who "didn’t have a mean bone in her body." He has initiated a GoFundMe campaign in her memory to support children in need by funding sports activities like tennis and softball for underprivileged families, and assisting with the costs of adopting animals, both of which were her passions.
A separate GoFundMe was established by Brad Oswald, the uncle of Caleb and Abigail, to honor his children. He described the siblings as "best friends" whose legacy should be one of "hope, compassion, and helping others." He added that they "filled our home with laughter, music, hugs, and endless love."
The three children, along with seven other occupants ranging in age from 6 to 75, were on a 25-foot boat when an "unprecedented storm" hit. According to a friend of the Oswald family, the boat was well within its capacity, and all children were wearing life jackets. The storm reportedly caused two large waves to crash over the bow, leading the boat to take on water and list to one side. A third wave then caused the vessel to capsize, submerging it quickly.
A passing boat alerted authorities, who were able to rescue seven passengers. However, divers later found the three children 32 feet below the water's surface. Life-saving measures were administered, and they were transported to local medical facilities where they were pronounced dead. Preliminary reports from the police indicate that the children had no external injuries, and the cause of death is consistent with freshwater drowning.
The boat was operated by a 46-year-old man, who has not been publicly identified by police but is reported to have extensive boating experience.
Batavia Public School District 101, where Kathryn Schmidt was a student, issued a statement expressing condolences to all families affected by the tragedy.