Teen, 19, Drowns In Rockaway Beach After Cutting School

Queens

A nineteen year-old drowned this afternoon at Rockaway Beach after cutting school with friends.

The tragic event occurred near Beach 67th Street shortly after 2:30 p.m.  First responders pulled him out of the water an hour later shortly after 3:30 p.m.  

NYPD harbor and aviation, FDNY and US Coast Guard participated in the search and rescue.

The teen attended Newtown High School in Elmhurst school.  

Lifeguards begin working for the season on Saturday.

Read More:

Teenager Drowns at Rockaway Beach in Queens

New York Times - May 25, 2016 - By Rick Rojas

Second Teen Dies In Starlight Park - Bronx River Drowning

Divers search for missing teens on Friday in the Bronx River near Starlight Park. 

Erickson Villa, 13, and his cousin Wellington Gavin, 13, jumped in the Bronx River at Starlight Park around 3:10 p.m.  Wellington was pulled from the water after a 15-minute search, while Erickson Villa was found about an hour later. 

The section of the river and the park where the teenagers chose to swim is posted with warning signs against swimming and boating.

Bronx

A second teen injured after jumping in the Bronx River last week has died, days after trying to save his cousin, heartbroken loved ones said, according to the New York Daily News.

Wellington Gavin, 13, who had been on a respirator since the Friday afternoon plunge, died Sunday afternoon, said the boy’s pastor, Rev. Joel Bauza. "At 3:20 [p.m.] Wellington Gavin passed away on his own. There was no need to stop the machines. His heart stopped on its own," said Bauza, who was flanked by Wellington’s distraught mother and his two sisters.

 Wellington’s cousin, Erickson Villa, 13, jumped off the pier near E. 172nd St. about 3:10 p.m. Friday to cool off after dismissal from Herman Ridder Intermediate School. Erickson knew how to swim but was having trouble, so Wellington jumped in to save him, Bauza told the News.   

They were quickly sucked away by the currents as horrified pals looked on. Wellington was pulled from the water by emergency responders after about 15 minutes and was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital in critical condition. He was later transferred to the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore hours later and remained in critical condition until he died, officials said.

Erickson wasn’t found by divers for an hour. He was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital but could not be saved. Grief-stricken family members were huddled at Wellington’s bedside for hours on Sunday and decided to take him off life support when he was unresponsive, Bauza said. But they never had to make the heartbreaking choice since Wellington’s heart stopped by itself, the pastor said.   

Cash-strapped family members are now making arrangements for a final viewing of the teens before both bodies are sent to the Dominican Republic for burial, Bauza said. "They're hurt,” the pastor said of both families. “The pain of losing their child is something that's unheard of. Something hard.”  

Read More:

Teen who jumped into Bronx River to save his cousin has died  

New York Daily News - June 22, 2014  - By Barry Paddock, Caitlin Nolin, Ryan Sit, Mark Morales 

Wellington Gavin, Second Teen Pulled From Bronx River, Dies

WCBS -  June 22, 2014

Second Boy Dies in Bronx River Tragedy

Wall Street Journal - June 22, 2014 - By Yoni Bashan 

Starlight Park Tragedy As Teen Drowns - Second in Critical Condition
A Walk In the Park - June 21, 2014

Starlight Park Tragedy As Teen Drowns - Second in Critical Condition

Erickson Villa, 13, and his cousin Wellington Gavin, 13, jumped in the Bronx River at Starlight Park around 3:10 p.m. Another teenager ran up into Starlight Park and told a park worker who called 911 when they didn't surface. Wellington was pulled from the water after a 15-minute search, while Erickson Villa was found about an hour later. 

The section of the river and the park where the teenagers chose to swim is posted with warning signs against swimming and boating.

Bronx

A 13-year-old boy drowned and his cousin was clinging to life Friday after a whimsical jump into the Bronx River turned tragic, authorities said, according to the NY Daily News. 

Erickson Villa and his cousin, both students at the nearby Herman Ridder Intermediate School, were hanging out with pals on a dock in Starlight Park near E. 172nd St. when they leapt into the river about 3:10 p.m., officials said. 

The water is shallow around the dock, but it deepens quickly, cops said. Neither boy could swim. Park workers called 911 when the boys didn’t surface. Emergency responders pulled one cousin out after a 15-minute search and rushed him to St. Barnabas Hospital in critical condition. 

Villa was pulled from the water about an hour later, at 4:25 p.m., officials said. His shirtless body appeared limp as he also was rushed to St. Barnabas.    

“It was some young kids, enjoying the weather, going for a swim,” said Deputy Fire Chief Anthony Montera, who helped supervise the rescue effort. 

Villa’s neighbors on Southern Blvd., where the teen lived for two years, were stunned by his death. 

“It’s a sad loss,” said Manuel Soto. “Hopefully this won’t happen to any other children in the neighborhood.”    

Read More:

Boy, 13, drowns, cousin in critical condition after jumping in Bronx River  

New York Daily New - June 20, 2014 - By Barry Paddock, Joey Scarborough , Thomas Tracy, Sabrina Caserta, Christian Zhang  

Summer off to deadly start as boy drowns in Bronx River

NY Post  - June 20, 2014 -  By Aaron Feis, Kathryn Cusma and Philip Messing 

10-Year-Old boy Dies In Harlem River Roberto Clemente Park Drowning Tragedy

A 10-year-old boy died after falling into the Harlem River yesterday, officials and witnesses said.

Ebrima Wally and a friend were standing on the edge of the water in Roberto Clemente Park in The Bronx near River Park Towers at 6:10 p.m. and throwing rocks into the water when Ebrima slipped, according to the New York Post.

“They were on the other side of the gate,” said Steven Pullen, 14. “Everyone started screaming and ran towards them.”

After Ebrima fell in, his pal went after him, but was unable to bring him to the shore.

About 20 minutes later, an FDNY diver pulled out Ebrima. The child was rushed to Bronx Lebanon Hospital where he died about an hour later.

Read More:

River tragedy kills boy, 10

New York Post - July 15, 2012 - By Kenneth Garger

14-Year-Old Boy Drowns In Rockaway Beach - Friend Rescued

A 14-year-old boy drowned this afternoon while swimming with a friend in an area without lifeguards in Far Rockaway near of Seagirt Blvd. and Beach 19th Street in Rockaway Beach in Queens. Red flags indicate beach closure at the section of beach where the drowning occurred.

(Photos: Theodore Parisienne/DNAinfo)

Queens

A 14-year-old boy died Tuesday after emergency workers pulled him from the water near the Queens shore, officials said, according to the New York Daily News.

The teen was with a friend, also 14, when he began struggling in the ocean near Seagirt Blvd. and Beach 19th St. in Far Rockaway about 12:40 p.m., sources said.

DANGER Do Not Enter The Water Unless There is A Lifegaurd On Duty.

“There were two boys. They were screaming,” said one witness, who declined to give her name.

She said several bystanders were about to jump in the water to help before teams of firefighters and cops quickly arrived.

She said the beach was crowded. Witnesses and sources said the boys were swimming in an area without lifeguards.

“I warned them not to go where the lifeguard wasn’t at,” said Reginald Whitley, who was fishing nearby. “They went into the water with the red flag.”

One teen managed to swim to shore. Rescue teams jumped in the water to rescue the other boy, sources and the witness said.

“One was screaming and the other started gasping for air,” the first witness said, adding that the second youth soon disappeared from view.

Divers jumped in the water, but could not locate the boy until almost 40 minutes later, sources said.

“It was a large area we had to cover,” a source said.

Firefighters pulled the unconscious boy out of the water about 1:15 p.m., officials said.

He was rushed to nearby St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, he died about an hour later.

“That water is a bad situation if you don’t know anything about it,” Whitley said. “It’s a tragedy.”

With Daniel McCarthy

Reed More:

Boy, 14, drowns off Far Rockaway, Queens; was pullled out but could not be saved

New York Daily News - June 12, 2012 - By Rocco Parascandola and Joe Kemp

14-Year-Old Boy Drowns In Waters Off Of Far Rockaway

1010 WINS - June 12, 2012 - By Carol D’Auria

Body Found At Wolfe’s Pond Park Beach

Staten Island

The body of a female (approximately 40-50 years old) washed up on the shore at Wolfe’s Pond Park Beach on Sunday morning at approximately 10:10A.M. An investigation determined the cause of death appeared to be an accidental drowning, according to a source. - Geoffrey Croft