Police have located the last of five Amish children who died in a horse and buggy accident when their family's carriage was swept away by a river's current while trying to cross a low-water bridge.
The body of the missing fifth child was discovered by authorities around 11:22 a.m. on Saturday, according to the Kentucky State Police. The child was pronounced dead at the scene by the Bath County coroner.
The incident occurred on Wednesday when an Amish family consisting of one adult and five children were attempting to cross a low-water bridge in Bath County and their horse and buggy were swept away in the current, police said.
The adult was able to safely make it out of the river bank and call of the help, while four children — who were siblings — were found and pronounced dead by the coroner that day.
At the time, a fifth child was missing and local agencies were called to assist in a search.
The parents, who asked not to be identified by their full name, were holding a funeral service for four children — three girls and a boy — over the weekend when authorities notified them that the body of the missing fifth child — a boy — had been found, the New York Times reported.
"It was difficult for everybody, but there was also a sigh of relief knowing they could all be together. Mixed emotions. They were grieving," coroner Andrew Owens told the out, adding that the five children "were all buried together."
The funeral was paid for by Father Jim Sichko, a central Kentucky priest, local news station LEX 18 reported.
"Losing these children in this horrific crash accident has just got to be devastating and is devastating," Sichko told the outlet. "From the moment I heard about this, I felt that it would be a beautiful connect as far as Christian-Catholic reaching out, along with the Amish who also believe in God and Jesus, and all of this in some way to assist them in their time of need."
"All I know are a few things. One is that the Amish are very private people," he continued. "Number two, they are extremely hard workers. And number three, that they're a very close connected community. So I would hate to infringe on their styles and their traditions at a moment such as this."
According to LEX 18, the mother and father are also parents to six other children.
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