Body of 14-year-old boy pulled from Lake Ontario, police say he drowned while swimming
The body of a 14-year-old boy has been pulled from Lake Ontario after police say he drowned while swimming near Ashbridges Bay Park on Sunday night.
Police previously said that they were called to the east-end park at around 6 p.m. for a report of a person missing in the water.
Speaking to reporters on Monday morning, Acting Insp. Dan Pravica said the boy was swimming with a friend when he began to struggle and went under the water.
The boy’s friend called out for help and a passerby jumped into the water to try to assist, Pravica said.
“I believe a husband and wife were walking by and the husband jumped in,” he added.
Several fire rescue boats were deployed near Northern Dancer Boulevard and Lake Shore Boulevard East on Sunday night in an effort to locate the missing youth but the rescue efforts were unsuccessful.
Police confirmed that the boy’s body was recovered at around 9 a.m. on Monday morning.
Emergency responders search Ashbridges Bay on April 14 following reports of a person in distress in the water. (Phil Marion/Photo)
Pravica told reporters that the body was found not far from where crews were searching on Sunday night.
He could not confirm the circumstances that led to the drowning.
“In the area where they were swimming, I’ve been told there is undertow there, that it is a steep drop off,” he said. “So there could be a combination of factors. I’m not sure how capable he was at swimming or not. I have no idea so I don’t want to speculate on that.”
While the boy was wearing shorts at the time of the incident, Pravica said it is unclear if he and his friend went to the water on Sunday with the intention of swimming.
“I do not believe he was wearing a life jacket,” the inspector said.
The teen is believed to be a resident of Toronto, he added.
“It is difficult anytime we find a person (in the water)… never mind a 14-year-old,” Pravica said. “I can’t imagine what the family is going through at this time.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Poilievre kicked out of Commons after calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'wacko'
Testy exchanges between the prime minister and his chief opponent ended with the Opposition leader and one of his MPs being ejected from the House of Commons on Tuesday -- and the rest of Conservative caucus walking out of the chamber in protest.
Baby, grandparents among 4 people killed in wrong-way police chase on Ontario's Hwy. 401
A police chase which started with a liquor store robbery in Bowmanville Monday night ended in tragedy some 20 minutes later when a suspect fleeing police entered Highway 401 in the wrong direction and caused a pileup which killed an infant and the child's grandparents, as well as the suspect, investigators say.
Man dies after suffering cardiac arrest while waiting in ER, widow wants investigation
When an ambulance took David Lippert to the hospital in March of 2023, the 68-year-old Kitchener, Ont., executive was hoping to find out why he was feeling weak and unable to walk. Some 24 hours later, he was found unresponsive in the ER.
Sword-wielding man attacks passersby in London, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring 4 others
A man wielding a sword attacked members of the public and police officers in a northeast London suburb Tuesday, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring four other people, British authorities said.
Conservatives push motion calling for Carney to testify, say it's about 'accountability'
The federal Conservatives made good on their promise to push for former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney to testify before MPs, resulting in a heated political debate in Ottawa on Tuesday.
Freeland previews omnibus budget bill, proposed capital gains tax change left out
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation will be the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
WATCH Arnold Schwarzenegger spotted filming in Elora, Ont.
The name of the project has not been officially released although it’s widely believed to be the Netflix series FUBAR.
London Drugs stores remain closed, 'cybersecurity incident' may have breached personal data
London Drugs says it is working with third-party security experts as the company tries to reopen dozens of stores across Western Canada that were shuttered by a cybersecurity incident Sunday.
McGill requests 'police assistance' over pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University says it has 'requested police assistance' about the pro-Palestinian encampment on its lower field.