Durant Teen Drowns In Drainage Ditch

A 13-year-old girl was swept to her death and at least two dozen motorists had to be rescued from their vehicles Thursday when heavy rain fueled by persistent tropical moisture pounded parts of Oklahoma.

Friday, July 9th 2010, 8:25 am

By: News On 6

Staff and Wire Reports

DURANT, Oklahoma -- A 13-year-old girl was swept to her death and at least two dozen motorists had to be rescued from their vehicles Thursday when heavy rain fueled by persistent tropical moisture pounded parts of Oklahoma.

The girl was playing with friends around a drainage ditch near Durant in Bryan County when water 3 to 4 feet deep carried her off, said Cherokee Ballard, a spokeswoman for the state Medical Examiner's office. Durant is about 145 miles southeast of Oklahoma City.

"Her friends got out and were running alongside trying to help but she didn't make," Ballard said late Thursday.

The teen is the third child killed in flooding in less than a week in Oklahoma. Another teen died when he was swept into a south Oklahoma City creek, and an 8-year-old boy was killed in Pottawatomie County.

The girl's identity has not been released.