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Coverage dated May 11, 2025 to May 12, 2025

RFK Jr. goes swimming with grandchildren in contaminated D.C. creek

Headline from NBC Los Angeles

The National Park Service has a longstanding warning against swimming or wading in Rock Creek due to high levels of bacteria.

NBC Los Angeles's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

Read the reports

Reports & sources

19 articles, oldest first.

  1. New York Post

    RFK Jr. takes a dip in DC creek known for high levels of fecal bacteria and ‘infectious pathogens’ (opens New York Post)

    Published

    New York Post's feed description

    Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took a plunge into the waters of Washington, DC's notoriously contaminated Rock Creek – where swimming is banned because of high levels of fecal bacteria.

  2. Washington Examiner

    RFK Jr. swims in DC’s Rock Creek Park despite NPS warning of high bacteria levels (opens Washington Examiner)

    Published

    Washington Examiner's feed description

    Since 1971, health officials have advised against swimming in the creek because the city’s sewage system flows into it.

  3. Newsweek

    RFK Jr. swam with grandchildren in DC creek with 'high bacteria levels' (opens Newsweek)

    Published

    Newsweek's feed description

    The NPS explicitly prohibits swimming and wading in Rock Creek, citing health risks from elevated E. coli and other pathogens.

  4. Washingtonian

    Rock Creek Isn’t Safe to Swim In. RFK Jr. Did It Anyway. (opens Washingtonian)

    Published

    Washingtonian's feed description

    The Health Secretary posted photos of himself swimming in the bacterial waters on Mother's Day.

  5. The Hill

    RFK Jr. goes swimming in DC’s Rock Creek despite NPS guidance on bacteria (opens The Hill)

    Published

    The Hill's feed description

    Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ignored the National Park Service's ban on swimming in D.C.'s Rock Creek due to high bacterial levels, taking a Mother's Day dip in the water with his family.

  6. NBC Los Angeles

    RFK Jr. goes swimming with grandchildren in contaminated D.C. creek (opens NBC Los Angeles)

    Published

    NBC Los Angeles's feed description

    The National Park Service has a longstanding warning against swimming or wading in Rock Creek due to high levels of bacteria.

  7. Anchorage Daily News

    RFK Jr. swims in polluted D.C. creek on family outing (opens Anchorage Daily News)

    Published

    Anchorage Daily News's feed description

    Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nation’s health czar, is shown bathing in Rock Creek, a D.C. stream that was flagged as polluted, on an outing with his grandchildren.

  8. Boston

    RFK Jr. swims in Washington creek that flows with sewage and bacteria (opens Boston)

    Published

    Boston's feed description

    Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. posted photos Sunday of himself and his grandchildren swimming in a contaminated Washington creek.

  9. WTOP Washington DC

    RFK Jr. takes grandchildren to contaminated DC creek for a swim (opens WTOP Washington DC)

    Published

    WTOP Washington DC's feed description

    Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. went swimming in a D.C. creek Sunday, despite a yearslong warning against wading in the contaminated waters.

  10. Latin Times

    RFK Jr Swims With His Family in River Despite Active Health 'Hazard' Warning Over Sewage Contamination (opens Latin Times)

    Published

    Latin Times's feed description

    Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shared photos of him taking a dip in a D.C. river, despite it having an active health warning over sewage contamination.

  11. People

    RFK Jr. Swims in Sewage-Tainted Creek with Grandchildren Despite National Park Service’s Bacteria Warning (opens People)

    Published

    People's feed description

    Robert F. Kennedy Jr. swam in bacteria-infested waters in Rock Creek Park with his grandchildren on Mother's Day, ignoring warnings from the National Park Service about pathogens in the water.

  12. The Guardian

    RFK Jr and his grandchildren swam in DC creek contaminated by sewage (opens The Guardian)

    Published

    The Guardian's feed description

    US health secretary went for dip in Rock Creek, which officials report is toxic due to bacteria and pathogens

Identical headlines usually mean shared wire copy. They are counted as separate articles but are not independent confirmation.

RFK Jr. goes swimming with grandchildren in contaminated D.C. creek | Since Then