14-year-old boy drowns in Lake Ontario near Ashbridges Bay Park: police

Toronto police have announced the death of a 14-year-old boy who went missing in Lake Ontario Sunday evening.

Insp. Dan Pravica said the boy's body was pulled from the water about 15 hours after he got into trouble in the water near Ashbridge Bay Park on the city's east side on Monday.

Pravitsa says that it is not known why the boy went into the water before he drowned, and that his friend, who was with the boy, started screaming for help when he went into the water.

He said both his friend and the man who jumped into the water tried to help, but both their efforts and several emergency personnel's attempts to immediately find the boy were unsuccessful.

According to the police, the boy's body was found on Monday around 9 o'clock in the morning near the place where he was last seen.

Pravitsa says a combination of factors could have contributed to the boy's drowning, such as the steep drop in the water in the area, but it's too early to speculate.

“We all have children, many of us do, and it's a concern no matter what,” he said at a press conference on Monday. “I can't imagine what the family is going through right now.”

Pravica said people who want to swim in Toronto parks should be careful and check the water temperature before swimming.

This Canadian Press report was first published on April 15, 2024.

Canadian Press