ASSUNDA ROTOLO - 11 yo & LESLIE DAVIS JR - 8 yo - Lewisburg PA

Two Pennsylvania children have been missing since Sunday night, and
police and emergency personnel were searching the Susquehanna River
near their home.Missing are 11-year-old Assunda Rotolo and
8-year-old Leslie Davis Jr. of Lewisburg. It was not immediately clear
whether they are siblings.The search was suspended at 11:20 p.m., and is expected to resume this morning.Lewisburg
police Sgt. Fred Hetrick says the children left their home around 7
p.m. Sunday, telling family members they were going to the river. They
were reported missing two hours later.Boats and a state police helicopter were searching along the river for signs of the children.Lewisburg is about 50 miles north of Harrisburg.

Two Lewisburg children
were missing Sunday night, and police and emergency personnel were
searching the Susquehanna River near their home.

Missing are Assunda Rotolo, 11, and Leslie
“Junior” Davis Jr., 8, of 139 St. Catherine St. It was unknown whether
they are siblings.
The search was suspended at 11:20 p.m., and
police planned to continue to interview the family. Police patrols will
continue overnight in the neighborhood. The search could resume this
morning, extended to a larger area of the River.
The children left their home between 7 and
7:30 p.m., telling family members they were going to the river,
according to Lewisburg police Sgt. Fred Hetrick. They were reported
missing at 8:55.
Boats from Milton and Shamokin Dam were
combing the river for signs of the children. A state police helicopter
was hovering above the Susquehanna, shining a spotlight onto the shore
and water. Lewisburg police also were being assisted by tracking dogs
and police from Mifflinburg, Milton, East Buffalo Township and
Watsontown. Also involved was the William Cameron Engine Company,
Lewisburg’s fire department.
Thermal imaging was being used from the helicopter and along the shore in an effort to find signs of body heat.
The girl was wearing a green Harry Potter
shirt, pink shorts and no shoes. The boy was wearing blue-jean cargo
pants but no shirt or shoes. Police said he has medical conditions,
including asthma.
The 100 block of St. Catherine Street is
near the river, on the southern side of Market Street, Lewisburg’s main
thoroughfare. The Lewisburg river bridge takes Market Street, also
Route 45, across the river.
During the search, residents were gathered on the river bridge and outside their homes, watching the boats and other rescuers.

Poster's Note: Pardon me, am I just stupid or what? WTH do you get off sending an 11 and 8 year old off to swim/wade in a river without supervision? Or, for that matter, go anywhere without supervision???

Search crews are on the Susquehanna River near Lewisburg looking for
two young children who went to the river to swim Sunday. Eight-year-old
Leslie Davis of Mifflenburg and 11-year-old Assunda Rotolo of Lewisburg
have not been heard from since.

Rescuers are stationed along the western shore of the Susquehanna in
Lewisburg. Officials said a ground and water search is underway,
covering several miles of river.

A state police helicopter was called in to fly over and help look for
two missing children. There are at least eight boats out on the river
participating in the search.

Police said the children have been missing since Sunday evening after they went swimming not far from Rotolo's home.

The children's parents said the two usually go swimming in the river but Sunday night they never came home.

"This last week it's been so hot and we've been watching them. It
started to get dark. The father of the boy went down looking," said
Belinda Rotolo, Assunda's mother.

"I thought maybe they went off the beaten path, somewhere better to get
in and get wet but nothing. It was too dark. I pray to God they're
alright. It's really hard," said Leslie's father. Leslie Davis, Sr.

Authorities are still considering this a search and rescue effort. There is no word how long the search will continue Monday.

The bodies of two children, who disappeared Sunday while apparently
wading in the Susquehanna River in Union County were recovered Monday
evening.

The children, 8 year old Leslie Leroy Davis, Jr., and 11 year old
Assunda Rotolo, were reported missing shortly before 9 o'clock Sunday
night. The children who were from Mifflinburg were visiting the
Lewisburg area with family. Their bodies were recovered at around 5:30
pm about 150 feet away from they disappeared.

Lewisburg is a river community about 50 miles north of Harrisburg in Union County.

A community in Union County is coping with the loss of two young
children. Their bodies were found in the Susquehanna River Monday
evening near Lewisburg.

Search and rescue teams spent hours looking for 11-year-old Assunda
Rotolo of Lewisburg and eight-year-old Leslie Davis of Mifflinburg.
Both children were last seen in the Susquehanna River Sunday night.

The outcome of that search was the one many feared it would be.

"Missing" signs are still posted for the two children in Lewisburg.
They are harsh reminders of the way the young girl and her friend lost
their lives.

An exhaustive search of the Susquehanna River from boat and from the
air lasted until the children's bodies were found downstream from where
they had gone swimming.

Dale Schrader was one of the many volunteers out looking for the missing children.

"Everybody just pulled together, one heck of an effort busting their
butts to bring this to a close for the families," Schrader said.

In searches like these, Schrader said, he and his fellow volunteers can't help but think what if it was their son or daughter.

"A lot of real hard feelings for the rescue personnel. If you looked
around you could see the sad look on everyone's faces," Schrader added.

This was supposed to be the first year at the middle school in
Lewisburg for Assunda, or Suzy, as she was known by her family. School
officials said just last Friday, she came to help a former teacher set
up the classroom for the new year.

The school district had grief counselors on hand Tuesday to help students and staff deal with such a difficult loss.

"It was a real shock. We were hoping for the best. In those situations,
the more time goes on, the least likely your chances are for a positive
outcome. We were keeping our hopes up to the very end," said school
superintendent Mark DiRocco. "She was a delightful young girl and
teachers had nothing but wonderful things to say about her. That makes
the hurt all the worse."

Word of the drownings spread quickly, reaching Matt Dimm of Watsontown
at Milton State Park who was fishing with his girlfriend and her young
brother. "They wanted to go swimming. Mom said keep an eye on them.
Make sure nothing happens," Dimm said. The loss of the two young lives
was enough of a reminder to him and his friends of the dangers that
lurk in the rushing water of the river. "Always have people with you to
watch for any reason, no matter what. You never know what can happen."

Folks with the school district want to set up a fund to help with funeral expenses.

Meanwhile, state police are now handling the investigation.

A coroner ruled both children's deaths as accidental drownings.