Girl drowns when RTV rolls into pond

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. - A 10-year-old girl was killed Thursday night when she was trapped under an overturned rough terrain vehicle in a pond on her family’s property in rural Leavenworth County, authorities there said.

The accident was reported a little after 8:30 p.m. Thursday.

Shelbee Heim was driving a Kubota RTV 400 on a dirt path next to a pond, according to Leavenworth County Undersheriff Ron Cranor.

The vehicle somehow rolled into the pond, trapping the girl under the surface of the water.

When he realized he could not see her, Shelbee’s father, Gary Heim, went looking for her and found her trapped under the RTV in the pond. However, he was unable to move the vehicle by himself and had to wait until help arrived. Cranor said the girl was under water for about 15 minutes.

Members of the Kickapoo Township Volunteer Fire Department arrived and helped get the girl out of the pond. She was rushed to an area hospital, where she was pronounced dead, Cranor said.