Yesterday, two 13-year-old cousins jumped into the Bronx River from Starlight Park to cool off on the sunny day. One died while the other is in critical condition; it's unclear if either knew how to swim.
When their friends couldn't see them in the water, they called for help around 3:09 p.m. Friday. FDNY divers were able to find Gavin Wellington after 20 minutes, but Erickson Villa was found nearly 80 minutes later. Erickson was pronounced dead at St. Barnabas, while Gavin is in critical condition.
Witness Diamonique Mims told WCBS 2, "They decided to go in the lake, saying, ‘Oh, let’s go swimming; let’s go play in the water.'" Diamonique told the Post, "Someone came running over and asked if any of us could swim. We said, ‘No.’ Another kid, George, went in after them, but he can’t swim, either."
The water near the dock is shallow, but the Daily News says it gets deeper quickly.
FDNY Deputy Chief Anthony Montera said to WCBS 2, "The kids that were swimming with the other victims, and they pinpointed the area where they went down, and we looked directly in that area and were able to quickly recover one. The other one took longer to find — no visibility down there; very hard to see anything."
The police are investigating the drowning. The NY Times reports, "Starlight Park, a sliver of green hemmed in by railroad tracks and the Bronx River, is a popular hangout spot for local teenagers, though a sign by a dock there makes clear that swimming and diving are not allowed."
