4-Year-Old Child Dies After Being Found In Freezing River On Christmas Eve

A 4-year-old child in Louisiana died after falling into a freezing river on Christmas Eve.

The boy went missing while on a hike with his father, the authorities said.

The Central Police Department had received a call from a "frantic" parent Saturday, saying his son walked away from him while the two were on a hike, the officials said.

The unidentified parent said that despite searching the area he could not find the boy.

The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office, Central Fire Department and the St. George Fire Department assisted the local police in the search for the boy, WAFB reported.

The boy was found in the Amite River near the BREC Frenchtown Conservation Area, according to Central Police Chief Roger Corcoran.

The water was reportedly 10 degrees at the time, the authorities said. A fireman went into the water to rescue the child.

"The fireman did not hesitate to jump in the water... He did his job as a first responder," Corcoran said, adding the boy was rushed to a hospital in critical condition.

The child was later declared dead.

It remains unclear how the child ended up in the river.

The investigation was turned over to the detectives in the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office. An autopsy will be performed by the East Baton Rouge Coroner's Office to determine the exact cause of death, WBRZ reported.

This is a developing story.

In another incident, a 19-year-old boy died Saturday after falling into an icy pond in Haymarket, Virginia. Following the death, officials issued a warning to stay off ice in the area, News4 reported. The teen fell through an iced-over pond located at the Piedmont Club Golf Course. Several people present at the golf course tried to rescue the victim but failed. "It's one of the smaller ponds behind some houses on the golf course," the person who uploaded a video online showing the heavy presence of first responders said. "We've heard stories of kids on the ponds. It's posted, 'No swimming. No ice skating. Stay off the water.' But kids will be kids," he told the outlet.