According to the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s office, Prosecutor Anthony P. Kearns, III and the New Jersey State Police have announced an update on the search for a missing teen in the Delaware River. On July 19, at 1:34 p.m., rescue crews, under the direction of the New Jersey State Police Marine Services Bureau, located a body in the general area where the teen went missing on July 18.
The body was recovered in eight feet of water, discovered by divers with Garden State Underwater Recovery. Paramedics from Hunterdon Medical Center responded and pronounced the victim at 2:55 p.m.
According to Kearns, “A group of six individuals rented tubes from a facility known as Delaware River Tubing near the Kingwood boat launch yesterday morning. The group consisted of two 13-year-old boys and one 16-year-old boy, as well as three adult counselors from the Marlton Family Guidance Center. About one half mile downstream, the 16-year-old became separated from his tube and attempted to swim upstream to retrieve it. He was unable to reach the tube and went under the water. A counselor waived down a bicyclist and used her cell phone to call 9–1–1. None in the party were wearing personal flotation devices.”
The initial call went over the radio at 11:56 a.m. At 12:02 pm, a detective from the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office heard the radio call and was first to arrive on scene, but was unsuccessful in locating the teen.
River rescue and dive teams responded in addition to a New Jersey State Police helicopter. Both teams searched the area for several hours before severe thunderstorms moved into the area the afternoon of July 18, postponing the search, which resumed this morning, July 19, at daybreak.
The area quickly mobilized enforcing the help of local rescue units. The New Jersey State Police Marine Unit from Burlington responded, as did emergency units from NJSP Kingwood, Frenchtown Police, Delaware Township Police, New Jersey State Park Police, Stockton Fire and Rescue, Kingwood Fire and Rescue, Lambertville-New Hope Rescue, Amwell Valley Fire and Ambulance, Flemington-Raritan Rescue, Frenchtown Fire Company, HMC Paramedics, Hunterdon County Office of Emergency Management, NJSP Northstar, Clinton Rescue, New Hope Fire Department, Point Pleasant Fire Department, Upper Black Eddy Fire Department and the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office.
The teen was described as African-American with a close cropped hair cut, five foot, three inches tall, last seen wearing black Nike swim trunks, a white or gray t-shirt, white Nike knee-high socks and flip-flops. The body recovered was wearing clothing matching the description.
“Confirmation that the recovered body is that of the missing teen will be made by the medical examiner,” Kearns said.
“We are grateful to the volunteer rescue units that participated in this operation. It is never easy for us when the operation switches from a rescue to a recovery, but these volunteers worked through it like professionals,” Kearns added. “Our heartfelt condolences go out to the victim’s family in this time of sorrow.”
