Priscila Alvares Pereira Dos Santos, 33, of Delran, New Jersey, went into the Delaware River Monday afternoon after seeing a young girl struggling in the water at Amico Island Park. She managed to reach the girl and push her toward the shoreline. Bystanders then pulled the child from the water. Priscila, however, went under and never came back up.
Delran Township police were called to Amico Island Park at 81 Norman Ave. shortly before 4 p.m. Aug. 24 after reports of two possible drowning victims. Responders quickly learned that an adult woman had entered the river in an effort to help the girl.

The rescue succeeded in getting the child out of immediate danger. Priscila was able to move the girl toward shore, where people nearby brought her to safety. During the rescue, though, Priscila disappeared beneath the surface.
A large search effort followed. Delran police and fire crews were joined by the Delran Emergency Squad, New Jersey State Police, the Camden County dive team and Philadelphia police. Several boats were used during the search, and drones were also brought in as crews focused on the area near the mouth of Rancocas Creek, where it meets the Delaware River.
The search continued for hours Monday night before being suspended around 9:45 p.m. Crews returned about 6:30 a.m. Tuesday and shifted the operation into a recovery effort. Drone operators from the Burlington County Sheriff’s Office and the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management also helped search the water.
At about 8:15 a.m. Tuesday, search crews found Priscila’s body roughly 20 feet off a beach at Amico Island Park. Her recovery came about 16 hours after she was last seen in the river. The park was closed Tuesday while authorities continued working at the scene.
Officials said Priscila’s death does not appear to be suspicious, but the investigation remains open. The Burlington County Medical Examiner’s Office is expected to conduct an autopsy as authorities work to establish the official cause of death.
Priscila’s final moments have left a painful story behind. She entered the river because a child was in trouble, helped move that child toward people waiting on shore and then disappeared beneath the water herself. The girl was brought safely out of the river, while Priscila did not survive.
The loss has brought grief to Priscila’s family, friends and the Delran community. Her death came during a rescue that began with an emergency at the river and ended with one child reaching safety and an adult rescuer losing her life.




