Two kids found in Portland river; 1 dies

PORTLAND, Ore., May 23 (UPI) -- Police say the case of two small children struggling in an Oregon river early Saturday was turned over to the homicide unit after one of the youngsters died.

The 3-year-old boy died shortly after he and a 7-year-old girl were found in the Willamette River in Portland by a boater who heard screaming near a bridge about 1:20 a.m. PDT.

The girl was taken to a Portland hospital where her condition was not being revealed.

KGW-TV in Portland said the discovery triggered a major search of the river that involved a Coast Guard helicopter as well as police and fire department boats.

The identities of the kids have not been released and police don't yet know how they wound up in the river in the middle of the night.