Culpeper girl, 6, drowns in Strasburg

STRASBURG — A 6-year-old Culpeper girl drowned Saturday at a former quarry while on a trip with her family.

Dakota Hansen, daughter of Edward and Wendy Hansen, was found motionless in the water by another swimmer at Half Moon Beach, according to the Northern Virginia Daily newspaper.

It was the quarry’s second drowning in less than a month, prompting local police to close it for a safety evaluation.

Dira Hansen, 17, who ran track for Culpeper County High School and is an incoming freshman at Christopher Newport University, confirmed to the Daily that the victim was her sister.

Hansen said she heard of the drowning from her 15-year-old sister Shannon, who accompanied other family members to the quarry at 363 Radio Station Road. Her brothers Joey, 8, and Joshua, 2, as well as 6-year-old Cameron O’Sullivan, a foster brother, were there with her parents.

The Hansen family lives in the 16000 block of Auburn Road.

Funeral arrangements had not been released as of press time.

Asked how her family was coping with the tragedy, Dira Hansen said, “We’re praying for the best.”

Daisy Brosious, 11, of Woodbridge, discovered Dakota’s body. “She was floating on the top,” Daisy said, adding that the water was over their heads.

Strasburg Police Chief Tim Sutherly confirmed that an unidentified child told a lifeguard about the drowning girl.

“It goes from about 5 feet to about 15 feet really quick,” he said. “(Dakota) was on the deep side of the barrier.”

Sutherly said the investigation is ongoing, but that authorities do not suspect foul play. He was unsure whether the victim had suffered from any medical conditions that could have exacerbated the situation.

The drowning was reported at 2:05 p.m., and emergency personnel tried to resuscitate the girl following efforts by lifeguards, Sutherly said.

The victim was transported to Winchester Medical Center by the Strasburg Volunteer Rescue Squad, with assistance by the Middletown Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department, he said.

Dakota was pronounced dead at Winchester Medical Center at 2:44 p.m., with the cause of death listed as drowning.

“The (rescue) squad happened to be in the area and got there really quickly,” Sutherly said. “I think everybody did everything they really could after the fact.”

Sutherly said the state medical examiner’s office will review the drowning and determine whether an autopsy is necessary.

No one from Half Moon Beach could be reached for comment. The beach is part of a popular private park that charges admission and offers outdoor activities such as volleyball, camping and fishing.

On July 16, Nathaniel B. King, 26, of Marshall, was pronounced dead at Winchester Medical Center after drowning in the quarry. Sutherly said King’s drowning was determined to be an accident, and that the state medical examiner decided not to perform an autopsy.

Dakota’s drowning was the fifth in the area since June 21.

Information compiled from reports by Northern Virginia Daily staff writer Ben Orcutt.