UPDATED: 7/22/23, 11:22 a.m.
WASHINGTON CROSSING, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — Upper Makefield Township police say the body of 2-year-old Matilda "Mattie" Sheils has been reunited with her family after being discovered Friday in Philadelphia.
"We know so many are still reeling at the tragic loss of life, but we are grateful that prayers were answered and that we were able to bring Mattie home. This has only strengthened our resolve to reunite Conrad with his family and sister," authorities said in a statement Saturday morning.
Philadelphia police recovered the body of a 2-year-old girl from the Delaware River near the neighborhood of Port Richmond Friday afternoon.
Officials received a 911 call, and at approximately 5 p.m. a rescue team pulled the child's body from the water. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
FULL PRESS CONFERENCE AUDIO:
At a press conference Friday evening, officials said that they "strongly believe" Mattie was the child they recovered from the river pending further identification processes. Her brother, 9-month-old Conrad, is still missing.
"All our hearts are broken this evening," said Tim Brewer, Fire Chief of the Upper Makefield Fire Company.
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Mattie, Conrad and their mother, Katie Seley were visiting from South Carolina and on their way to a barbecue in Bucks County on Saturday when their car got stuck on Washington Crossing Road in fast-rising waters. The trio were swept away, and Seley was identified as one of the first victims of the flooding.
The children's father, Jim Sheils, their older brother, Jack, and their grandmother all survived.
For nearly a week, search and rescue have attempted to find the missing siblings, but weather hampered the search day after day.
"This has been an extremely intense and emotional time for the family, and for our first responders." Brewer said.
"Although Mattie was found 32 miles away from where she was loss, she has never been closer to all of our hearts as she is now," he continued.
"The Sheils family would like to express their continued gratitude for the overwhelming outpouring of love, support, and concern from the community and from people around the country as rescue workers have worked tirelessly to find Mattie and Conrad," said the family in a statement Saturday morning. "We are grateful that our little Mattie has been brought home to us. We are still praying for the return of Conrad. Thank you all, again, for your compassion and your kindness. We are humbled."
Marine and aviation units resumed the search for Conrad Saturday morning. Brewer said divers would also get back into the water to look for the 9-month-old.
While they did not take questions at Friday night's press conference, they said they would post updates to social media as things progress.
Stay with KYW Newsradio as this story develops.