Drowning ruled the cause of death for 17-year-old Bucks County boy.
By Andrea Ciccocioppo, Sentinel Reporter, July 30, 2008
Last updated: Thursday, July 31, 2008 3:45 PM EDT
Fuller Lake in Pine Grove Furnace State Park is open today after rescue workers found the body of a missing 17-year-old Wednesday.
Eric Williams disappeared shortly after 4 p.m. Tuesday while swimming with a group from Valley Youth House in Warminster, located near Philadelphia.
In excess of 50 volunteers from area fire and rescue companies from throughout Cumberland County searched Tuesday evening until after dark, according to a press release from the Cumberland County Coroner's Office.
The volunteers returned early Wednesday morning and continued the search until the recovery occurred just after 5 p.m.
Cumberland County Coroner Michael Norris said an autopsy conducted this morning determined that the cause of Williams' death was drowning.
The Department of Conervation and Natural resources, police and the coroner’s office are continuing the investigation.
According to officials, the group was swimming within an area where swimming is permitted in about five to 24 feet of water. The youth were returning to the beach when the boy was noticed missing, according to John Bruetsch, Cumberland County chief public information.
Officials said no one noticed the boy was in distress, but a counselor noticed he was no longer with the group. “They decided to try to handle it themselves and searched for about an hour and a half before calling for help,” Bruetsch explained.
Four divers and boats from New Cumberland River Rescue and Cumberland-Goodwill Fire Company searched the 52-degree water for nearly five hours Tuesday night for the boy, before the search was called off due to darkness. Fuller Lake was closed on Wednesday while divers resumed their search.
Michelle Parsons of the Cumberland County Department of Public Safety says the youth’s body was recovered just before 5 p.m. in about 33 feet of water. She says an autopsy is planned to determine the cause of death.
There were no lifeguards on duty at the 1.7-acre lake. The state, in order to save money, eliminated lifeguards at all state park beaches except Presque Isle near Erie this year.
“The open swim program provides increased opportunities for swimmers beyond the hours and seasons during which lifeguards are available,” said DCNR Secretary Michael DiBerardinis.
Beaches will continue to be patrolled and monitored by state park staff. Instructions and regulations on swimming are posted at all beaches.
The implementation of open swim beaches is a national trend. It allows state parks to operate more efficiently, and provides greater public access to beaches.
Outside the swim area, the lake — an old quarry — is as deep as 52 feet. “It does get fairly deep outside the swimming area,” explained Christina Novak, of the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Under the surface, the water is also cold at about 52 degrees.
This is the first drowning at a Pa. state park within the swimming area.
“We’ve not had any drownings this year in areas related to open swim,” said Christina Novak, of the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. “We’ve had drownings this year, but they were not in swimming areas.”
Regardless, state officials review all incidents. “Throughout this year, we’ve been evaluating the inclusion of the open swim policy,” Novak said. “We will look at this and all incidents occurring this year.”
Bruetsch said it’s critical in an emergency situation to alert authorities as soon as possible. “Call 911 first,” Bruetsch said. “People can start looking, but you’ll save valuable time.”
He said it’s always better for crews to get to a scene and find out they’re not needed rather than lose time. “Even if he’d have been playing a joke, they’d much rather come out and find that out than spend an evening trying to recover a body.”
