A family gathering in rural Illinois ended in unimaginable tragedy when an eight-year-old girl was killed by a lightning strike just seconds after leaving a backyard swing and only a short distance from reaching the safety of her home.
Kinslee Tschida was playing outside with her cousins at a family property in Serena, Illinois, on July 3 when the weather suddenly changed. According to relatives, thunder had begun rumbling in the area, prompting the children’s uncle to tell everyone to head indoors.
As Kinslee climbed down from the swing and made her way toward the house, lightning suddenly struck, fatally injuring the young girl while her family watched in horror.
Her grandfather, Chris Scheib, told WGN-TV that the strike happened without warning.
“Kinslee was just climbing off, and all of a sudden, in an instant — I mean, there was no warning … It came right in between the tree,” he said.
The house was only about 20 feet away, and Scheib told WLS that his granddaughter would likely have been inside within seconds.
“In 5 or 10 seconds, she would have been fine,” he said, reflecting on how close she came to reaching safety.
Family rushed to save her
Several relatives were outside when the lightning struck. One of Kinslee’s cousins was standing less than four feet away but was not injured.
Her mother, who is a nurse, and her uncle immediately began performing CPR in a desperate effort to save her life.
Scheib said the heartbreaking experience has been especially difficult for his daughter.
“They did try CPR. My son and my daughter – on her own daughter – and being a nurse, you know she took that real hard. She can’t save her own daughter,” he told WGN-TV.
He added that despite their efforts, there was nothing more they could have done.
Emergency responders transported Kinslee to OSF St. Elizabeth Hospital in Ottawa, where she later died from her injuries.
The La Salle County Coroner’s Office confirmed an autopsy was conducted on Sunday. Officials said the formal cause of death is expected to be determined within four to five weeks.
Community remembers joyful young girl
Kinslee was preparing to begin third grade at Rutland Grade School this fall.
According to WGN-TV, her family remembers her as a cheerful child who loved to sing and dance, and whose joyful personality brought happiness to those around her.
A GoFundMe campaign has since been launched to help the family with medical and funeral expenses as they cope with the devastating loss.
Scheib described the tragedy as almost impossible to comprehend, saying it has forever changed his family.
“It’s unfathomable, it’s unrealistic, it’s hard to grasp,” he said.
“You try to muddle through it, I guess. I never had to deal with this in my life until now, and it’s changed me. I think we’re all broken.”
According to the National Lightning Safety Council, Kinslee is believed to be the fourth person killed by lightning in the United States this year. Her death serves as a heartbreaking reminder of how quickly severe weather can turn deadly, even when safety is only moments away.
