PASSAIC, N.J. (WPVI) — The pursuit to find a 10-year-old girl missing in the waters of the Passaic River rekindled early Friday morning. This development follows an incident earlier in the week where she, along with two other children, entered the river and only the latter managed to escape safely.
The video featured is from a previous report.
Search teams, equipped with boats, are expected to renew their efforts on the river starting at 6 a.m. Friday. The search efforts on Thursday ended without success.
For several days, emergency crews have meticulously combed the river relying on a range of resources including helicopters, divers, and sonar technology. Search operations primarily concentrate on the Rutherford stretch of the river, with teams adjusting their positioning to align with the river’s current.
Passaic Mayor Hector Lora announced the search effort has transitioned into a recovery mission, emphasizing the gravity of the situation at hand.
The girl was with a 10-year-old boy whose body was recovered Wednesday night. Officials said the boy helped save his 11-year-old sister, who managed to get out of the water on her own and is recovering with family.
Investigators believe the three children were playing near a boat ramp along the riverbank when they entered the water.
A man nearby jumped into the river in an attempt to rescue them, but officials said the current was too strong and the water was unusually high following heavy rainfall earlier in the week, preventing him from reaching the children.
Family members continue to hold onto hope that the missing girl will be found.
“I actually just saw her two weeks ago at a family gathering,” the girl’s aunt, Chelsea, said. “She’s a beautiful little girl. Very energetic. Very creative. And she’s just a great girl.”
“We’re praying that they find her,” she added.
Authorities say search efforts will continue Friday as crews adjust their operations based on changing river conditions.
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