After two days of searching nearly nine miles of river, crews recovered the body of a 10-year-old girl from the Passaic River in New Jersey on Friday evening. Passaic Mayor Hector Lora confirmed the discovery just before 7 p.m., south of the Market Street Bridge in Wallington.
How Three Children Ended Up in the Water
The tragedy began Wednesday evening when three children from Garfield, New Jersey were playing near a boat ramp at Pulaski Park in Passaic. All three were swept into the river’s strong current.
An 11-year-old girl managed to get out on her own. The other two — a 10-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl — did not make it out in time. The boy’s body was recovered late Wednesday night. The search for the girl continued for two more days.
A Couple’s Quick Call Made All the Difference
Crews were wrapping up Friday’s search when a couple living near the Market Street Bridge spotted something in the river from their apartment window. They ran outside, confirmed what they saw, and immediately called 911.
“We are so grateful to this couple,” Mayor Lora said. “Some people would’ve seen something obscure and went back into their apartment, but not this couple.”
Boats were deployed within 15 minutes and the girl’s body was recovered roughly 100 feet from the bridge.
A Mother’s Grief — and a Moment of Comfort
The girl’s mother was brought to the scene and was able to see her daughter. Mayor Lora noted a rainbow appeared over the area during that moment.
“This brought some comfort to the mother as she was waiting to see her little girl,” he said.
Both families have asked for privacy. The children’s names have not been released.
