An 8-year-old girl traveling with her family on a vacation died after suffering a "sudden" illness mid-flight.
The Peoria County Coroner's Office identified the girl as Sydney Weston, of Carl Junction, Missouri.
Little Sydney became ill and then unresponsive on a Southwest flight from Joplin. Her family alerted flight personnel of her condition and they started rendering aid to her.
The plane was headed to Chicago but was diverted to Peoria.
Sydney was not breathing and had no pulse when the plane landed. Deputies, AMT Personnel and Air National Guard
Fire personnel met the plane and immediately began life-saving measures.
An ambulance rushed her to OSF Healthcare Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, where, despite aggressive efforts, she was pronounced deceased at 8:05 a.m., the Peoria County Sheriff reported.
An autopsy was scheduled for Friday.
"Please keep the child's family and everyone who was involved in this traumatic experience in your thoughts and prayers," the coroner said in a statement.
The Peoria International Airport issued its own statement saying, "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and all those involved with the emergency."
