Search Ends After Two Children Swept Into Passaic River at Pulaski Park

The two-day recovery search for a missing child ended Friday, July 31, after crews recovered the 10-year-old girl’s body from the Passaic River downstream from Pulaski Park in Passaic, where three children were swept into the water two days earlier.

Passaic Mayor Hector Lora said the girl’s body was found shortly before 7 p.m. south of the Market Street Bridge in Wallington, about 100 feet from the bridge. The children’s names had not been released, and the available reports did not announce a final finding about fault, supervision, park conditions or legal responsibility.

What happened at Pulaski Park

Officials said the incident began Wednesday evening, July 29, when three children were swept into the rain-swollen Passaic River while playing near a boat ramp at Pulaski Park in Passaic.

An 11-year-old girl got out of the river on her own. A 10-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl went missing. Crews recovered the boy’s body late Wednesday night, according to officials cited by The Associated Press.

The children were from Garfield, officials said. CBS News New York reported that one family has ties to Passaic. The children’s names had not been publicly released.

Two-day search covered nearly nine miles

Crews searched the river through Thursday and Friday across nearly nine miles. The operation used boats, sonar, drones and cadaver dogs, according to CBS News New York.

Lora said crews were preparing to end the search Friday evening when a couple living near the Market Street Bridge reported seeing something in the river. First responders deployed boats within about 15 minutes and recovered the body in Wallington.

Passaic Fire Chief Patrick Trentacost Sr. said crews continued working until they believed there was no further action they could take. Lora and neighboring officials thanked the residents who reported the sighting and said the families asked for privacy.

What is confirmed and what is not

The reported facts are that three children were swept into the river at Pulaski Park on July 29; one 11-year-old girl survived; and the bodies of a 10-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl were recovered during the response.

The reports reviewed for this article do not provide a final account of why the children entered the water or assign responsibility for the deaths. They also do not establish whether supervision, river conditions, park conditions, warning signs or any legal issue contributed to the incident.

Water-safety reminder for residents

New Jersey’s Department of Children and Families says children should be supervised in, on and around water, including flowing water. Its guidance says an attentive adult with swimming skills should remain within arm’s reach of young children and weak swimmers, and it encourages swimming lessons, CPR training and safe rescue practices.

That general guidance is not an official finding about the Passaic River incident. Residents should treat moving water as hazardous, especially after heavy rain, and call 911 in an emergency.

The second child’s body was recovered Friday, July 31. As of Monday, August 3, officials had not publicly released the children’s names or announced additional findings about the incident.

Sources

• CBS News New York recovery report
• Associated Press initial report
• New Jersey Department of Children and Families water-safety guidance