Mercer County Woman Among 5 Dead In PA Flash Flooding

MERCER COUNTY, NJ — A 53-year-old woman from Hopewell, NJ was among five people who died following the deadly flash flooding in Bucks Co., PA on Saturday.

Susan Barnhart, 53, Titusville, died from drowning, Bucks County Coroner Meredith Buck said Monday evening.

About 3-6 inches of rain fell Saturday afternoon with Emergency Alerts of Southeastern Pennsylvania reporting on its Facebook page that multiple people and vehicles were swept away by floodwaters down flooded creeks and into the Delaware River.

According to reports there were water rescues in the 100 block of Washington Crossing Road and multiple people were hanging onto trees with two others trapped in a vehicle in flood waters.

Among those who were killed include victims from Newtown Township, PA and one is from South Carolina.

The victims identified are:

• Enzo Depiero, 78, Newtown Township. Cause of Death: Drowning
• Susan Barnhart, 53, Titusville N.J., Cause of Death: Drowning
• Yuko Love, 64, Newtown Township, Cause of Death: Drowning with Multiple Injuries
• Linda Depiero, 74, Newtown Township, Cause of Death: Drowning

The woman from South Carolina is the mother of the 9-month-old brother and 2-year-old sister who are still missing, Buck said.

Buck said that Katheryn Seley, 32, of Charleston, S.C. —the mother of the two missing children —was found on Saturday. Her cause of death was drowning.

The missing children are Matilda (Mattie) Sheils, 2, and Conrad Sheils, 9 months old. Their identities were revealed earlier Monday. Search continues for the two children.

Because the deaths are all weather related, the manner of death for all five victims is determined to be accidental, Buck said.

She said the autopsies were performed Monday. Three bodies were recovered on Saturday and Love and Linda Depiero were recovered on Sunday. All were found in Houghs Creek.

“We extend our deepest condolences to all the victims’ families and friends during this extremely difficult time. It is a sad time for these families, this community, and all of Bucks County as all efforts are focused on finding the missing children,” Buck said.