ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – The physique of a lacking 16-year-old boy was positioned Monday after the teenager disappeared Sunday when a canoe overturned, authorities mentioned.
The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Workplace recognized the teenager as Riley Teixeira, in accordance with Information 6 associate WJXT-TV.
“This isn’t what we needed. We have been hoping to seek out Riley, however we may give some closure to the Teixeira household as we speak,” St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick mentioned at a information convention Monday afternoon.
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In line with the sheriff’s workplace, the restoration was made within the space the place Teixeira and two different boys went into Julington Creek on Sunday night.
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The sheriff’s workplace mentioned it acquired a name simply earlier than 8 p.m. Sunday that Teixeira was missing after the canoe that he and two other boys were in overturned. The 2 different boys swam about 600 ft to a dock and advised the house owner what occurred, in accordance with the sheriff’s workplace.
A search ensued, and shortly earlier than midday Monday, the sheriff’s workplace introduced the search space was expanded as authorities continued with large-scale air and marine search efforts. The realm included St. Johns, Duval and Clay counties, stretching from simply north of the Buckman Bridge south previous Julington Creek and encompassing the whole width of the river.
About 1:30 p.m., Hardwick mentioned, the teenager’s physique was positioned in 6 to eight ft of water. His household was notified, the sheriff mentioned.
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St. Johns County Fireplace Rescue, the USA Coast Guard, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Workplace, the Clay County Sheriff’s Workplace, the St. Augustine Metropolis Fireplace Division, the St. Augustine Police Division and FWC assisted the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Workplace within the search.
Crews have been congregating at Mandarin Park and launching from there.
News4JAX spoke with Cade Werle, a ninth grade scholar at Creekside Excessive College, who heard the information and got here out to attempt to assist seek for the teenager, who Werle mentioned was a Creekside Excessive scholar.
“My dad was looking final night time for it, and we have been planning to exit and fish, however change of plans — we’re going to return assist search and do what we are able to,” Werle mentioned. “Don’t actually have a plan. We all know, like, the final space. We’ve got our depth finder and sonar so we are able to see however simply seeing what we are able to do.”
Rescue crews have been utilizing sonar to detect something underwater. An FWC crew advised News4JAX that three FWC boats with sonar have been specializing in a localized spot close to the doorway to Julington Creek.
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News4JAX traveled on the waters on Marine 4 with Mark Vickers, basic supervisor of Freedom Boat Membership, who mentioned the water will not be deep however arduous to see by means of.
“Anyplace on this space, you’ll be between 8 and 15 ft,” Vickers mentioned. “It’s very murky.”
Drones have been additionally concerned within the search. Whereas it’s unclear how the canoe overturned, people who find themselves aware of the world of the river say components of the waterway could be hazardous.
“Even with out currents, you bought wind making waves and making issues uneven,” mentioned Reed Danielson, a boater. “A canoe is a small boat. Something can occur on a small boat. It’s important to be safer on a smaller craft. I’ve acquired a jon boat and that’s arduous to flip, however canoes are harmful in deep water.”
The boys went out within the Pelican canoe to have enjoyable, and it was only a horrible accident, Hardwick mentioned.
“It breaks my coronary heart that somebody died popping out right here to do a very good factor and have a very good time,” Danielson mentioned.
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At Monday’s information convention, neither the sheriff nor the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fee would get into the main points of how the canoe overturned. They’d additionally not say if the 2 boys who made it to the dock have been sporting vests. The names of these boys aren’t being launched.
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