Authorities found the body of a 15-year-old boy who went missing while swimming in a Fort Lauderdale lake Wednesday night.
Fire rescue officials said the teen was swimming in the water around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday night in the 2000 block of Northeast 16th Street with friends when he went missing.
Crews dealt with murky water and a soft bottom to the lake when searching, having to find the child by hand search, according to Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Deputy Chief Timothy Heiser said. His body was found around 2 a.m. Thursday morning.
On Thursday afternoon, the victim was identified as Fritznell Pierre. Police say the incident was ruled an accidental drowning.
Friend Ian Lyons recalled the moment he noticed Pierre didn't make it back to shore, after suffering from a cramp in the water.
"I was sitting right at this table right here and then we went in to look for him," Lyons said.
