23-Year-Old Man Found Dead in Michigan Lake After Going Out for a Swim During Family Outing
The man, identified in reports as Patrick Todd, 23, went missing while swimming in Belleville Lake during an outing with his family
Memorial Day weekend ended in tragedy in Van Buren Township, Mich., when a young man was found dead after drowning in a nearby lake.
The 23-year-old individual, identified as Patrick Todd by FOX affiliate WJBK, was swimming at Belleville Lake while visiting with his family on Monday, May 27, when he went missing. Van Buren Fire Chief David Mcinally told the outlet that after receiving the call that Todd was missing around 4 p.m. local time, responders searched a 200 to 300 square feet radius of the area.
"They went out into the water. One came back and the other lost track of them, so that’s what they’re out there looking for - looking for them at this point," Mcinally added.
Related: Father of 4-Year-Old Boy Who Died of 'Dry Drowning' Speaks Out: 'This Could Happen to Anyone'
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Hours later, divers recovered Todd's body from the water.
Authorities shared in a press release on Facebook that they believe Todd slipped underwater while wading near a sandbar at Firecracker Island, where he and three family members had docked their boat. Their release also noted that a member of Todd’s family attempted to save him after he went underwater.
Deputy Chief of Police Joshua A. Monte told PEOPLE in a statement, "We do not have any further comment on this tragic incident; except to say that the entire Public Safety Department would like to extend its heartfelt condolences to the victim’s family and loved ones during this difficult time."
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Per ABC affiliate WXYZ, Todd’s untimely death is the third drowning incident that happened in Detroit over Memorial Day weekend.
Brian Butzin, who had met Todd a few hours before he drowned, told WJBK that he was shaken by the tragic incident. "It touched me because I just spent the afternoon with these strangers out in the community," he said.
Butzin added, "It’s just really sad, you know?"
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