Accident Database

Report ID#69635

2003-06-18
accident date
Rachael E. Graham
victim
12
victim age
French Creek
river
Route 100 to French Creek Road
section
n/a
location
n/a
gage
n/a
water level
II
river difficulty
Swim into Strainer
cause code(s)
Does not Apply
injury type(s)
High Water
factors
Private
trip type
Other
boat type
status?
status

Description

Rachael E. Graham and Krystal L. Titus, both 12, drowned on a church-sponsored canoeing trip on French Creek in Pennsylvania on June 18, 2003. Both washed into trees and drowned. Little is known about the accident. The girls’ parents considered filing a lawsuit against Allegheny River Canoe Rental of Franklin, alleging that the water was too high for safe canoeing that day, and that the girls were outfitted with ill-fitting adult-sized PFDs. The “high water” criticism is difficult to reconcile with the date; the USGS says that the river ran 176 cfs on 6-18-03, rising to 1370 and 2130 cfs on 6-20 and 6-21, respectively. The level on June 21 was the highest the stream had seen in four years. Tree strainer; ages: 13,14 http://www.thederrick.com/stories/07292003-2010.html