Crime & Safety
5 Bucks Co. Flooding Victims Identified
Three of the victims are from Newtown Township, another is from Titusville, N.J., and one is from South Carolina.
UPPER MAKEFIELD TOWNSHIP, PA —While the search for two children continues, the five victims of the flash flooding have been identified along with their cause of death, authorities said.
Three of the victims are from Newtown Township, another is from Titusville, N.J., and one is from South Carolina. The woman from South Carolina is the mother of the 9-month-old brother and 2-year-old sister who are still missing, Bucks County Coroner Meredith Buck said.
Buck said that Katheryn Seley, 32, of Charleston, S.C. —the mother of the two missing children —was found on Saturday. Buck said her cause of death was drowning.
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The missing children are Matilda (Mattie) Sheils, 2, and Conrad Sheils, 9 months old. Their identities were revealed earlier Monday.
The other four victims have been identified as:
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- 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
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.
The Upper Makefield Police Department said that the area was hit with a torrential rainstorm, which caused flash flooding along several areas throughout the township.
The worst of the flooding occurred along Rt. 532 in the area of Stonebridge Crossing Road between Aqueduct Road and Wrightstown Road.
Police said the flash flooding caught numerous motorists by surprise and many were trapped.
“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.
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