Aamina Bradley, a 14-year-old, saved her drowning 9-year-old cousin at Maheras Gentry Park on June 27, 2026. The family met at the east-side Detroit park to celebrate Aamina’s brother’s graduation when the victim’s 10-year-old cousin slipped into a fast-moving current near the park’s edge. Witnesses noted that Aamina entered the water immediately without regard for her own safety.

According to bystanders, the teenager successfully pushed her cousin towards the people near the shore, who pulled the child to safety. But Aamina was allegedly overwhelmed quickly by the undertow, and she never resurfaced.

Glenn Bradley, the victim’s father, reflected on his teenage daughter’s final moments before submerging.

He said:

“Her last words were ‘Dad help me’, she looked at me. When I went out there, she disappeared, she went under and never came back up. Somebody had to save me because I was drowning.”

— Glenn Bradley, Aamina’s father, Nypost

Glenn jumped in to save his daughter, but couldn’t resist the current of the Detroit River and had to be pulled back by the shore bystanders.

The night before the tragic incident, Aamina and her father reconciled after an argument. Reflecting on that night, Glenn said,

“The night before, we talked because she had been upset with me, and we talked for a while. She jumped in bed and cried, gave me the biggest hug. The next morning when she got up, she jumped in the bed with me, gave me a hug and a kiss and told me she loved me.”

— Glenn Bradley, Aamina’s father, Nypost

First responders arrived on the scene within minutes of emergency calls, launching a dive team to locate the missing teenager. Starting from a U.S. Coast Guard boat, a helicopter, a Detroit Fire, a Harbormaster, and a dive team were searching for the teen. Rescue units recovered her body hours later, pronouncing her dead at the scene.

Bradley was the sole guardian for Aamina after the teen‘s mother left the family. Bradley’s mother helped raise Aamina.

Pondering over the tragic incident, Bradley noted he is jumping moments of complete numbness and breakdown as he processes this massive loss.

“She was my favorite girl in the world… [It] doesn’t really feel real. I have moments when I break down. Other moments, I’m mostly numb.”

— Glenn Bradley, Aamina’s father, Dailymail

Remembering his daughter, Glenn further noted:

“At the end of the day, my daughter, she was a warrior, she had a beautiful heart. She had the most beautiful smile.”

— Glenn Bradley, Aamina’s father, Wxyz

“She had the biggest heart. She was sassy [and] very possessive with the people that she loved. She was very brilliant, smart. Very funny, always playing jokes.”

— Glenn Bradley, Aamina’s father, Dailymail

The Detroit Police Department commander acknowledged that the rescue efforts ultimately became a body recovery.

“Unfortunately, our rescue efforts turned into a recovery effort. Her body was recovered, and unfortunately, she is no longer with us.”

— Detroit Police Commander Lawrence Purifoy, Audacy

Furthermore, Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield expressed “heartfelt condolences to the family,” saying,

“A young girl lost her life in the water at Maheras-Gentry Park. There are no words adequate to ease the grief her family is carrying today. No family should ever have to endure the loss of a child. The city sends our heartfelt condolences to the family.”

— Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield, Thegrio

In the wake of the tragedy, a GoFundMe campaign was established by the family to cover sudden funeral expenses and memorial costs.

The tragedy highlights an ongoing safety concern regarding the lack of visible warning signs and life-saving equipment along critical stretches of waterbodies. According to CDC data, Black children aged 10-14 have a 3.6 times higher drowning rate and a 7.6 times higher rate in swimming pools.

Experts note the disparity in exclusion from public pools, swim programs in lower-income communities, and limited access to safe water facilities.

Disclaimer: Inquisitr individually could not confirm the facts of this story and is reporting based on the information available from initial media disclosures