A 10-year-old boy drowned Wednesday evening while trying to save his 11-year-old sister after she fell into the Passaic River near Dundee Island Park in Passaic, New Jersey. Local officials reported that crews searched for hours after receiving calls around 6:20 p.m. about three children in the river.
The 11-year-old girl managed to get out of the water safely and was reunited with her family. Her 10-year-old brother and their 10-year-old friend, a girl, went missing in the river. Passaic Mayor Hector Lora said rescue teams recovered the boy’s body around 10 p.m., about 50 feet from where he entered the water. The search for the missing girl continued into the night.
The mayor said that the young survivor told officials they were all struggling in the water, but she was able to escape at a different spot along the riverbank. Lora explained, “She expressed that they were in the water, they were trying to get out. She got out at a different point not too far from here—she is back with her mother and she’s worried about her brother as well as the friend that was with them.”
A bystander in the park jumped into the river to help but was pushed back by the strong current. Officials believe the boy may have saved his sister’s life by pushing her toward the rocks as he went under. The cause of the children entering the water is not yet clear.
The Passaic County search faced challenges due to darkness and high water levels after recent storms. All available local resources are focused on finding the missing girl, and the operation has shifted to a recovery mission.
Authorities have not released the names of the children involved. The community and local officials expressed support for the grieving family as they wait for further developments.
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