National

Toddler from WA dies after wandering out of hotel and into river, Oregon cops say

The Columbia River is pictured. The Columbia River Hotel and Conference Center is just south of the shoreline.
The Columbia River is pictured. The Columbia River Hotel and Conference Center is just south of the shoreline. Street View Image from November 2024 © 2025 Google

A 3-year-old died after wandering out of a hotel room and going into an Oregon river, police said.

Authorities responded at about 9:10 a.m. Saturday, June 7, to the Columbia River Hotel and Conference Center, The City of The Dalles Police Department said in a Facebook post.

The toddler, who was almost 4, left the hotel and walked into the Columbia River, police said.

When the family from Washington noticed the child missing, they called authorities and began searching for the child, police said.

Police said the toddler was found near the river’s shoreline.

The child was rushed to a hospital where the toddler was pronounced dead, police said. The child’s name has not been publicly released.

The Columbia River divides Washington and Oregon.

The Dalles is about an 85-mile drive east from Portland.

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This story was originally published June 10, 2025 at 5:22 PM with the headline "Toddler from WA dies after wandering out of hotel and into river, Oregon cops say."

Helena Wegner
McClatchy DC
Helena Wegner is a McClatchy National Real-Time Reporter covering the state of Washington and the western region. She’s a journalism graduate from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She’s based in Phoenix.
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