They entrusted the safety of their child to the family church group who decided to do a barbecue near the riverside to raise funds for their summer camp. But with all that was taking place that Saturday morning, they lost track of one of the boys who drowned less than an hour after they arrived. Jomarie Lanza has this report.
She was hesitant at first to give her son permission to tag along with their family church group down to the river Saturday morning to sell food and raise funds.
She feared for his safety, but in the end it was her nephew 15 year old Deshawn Nazir who never made it home in one piece.
Voice of: Aunt of Drowning Victim
"So on Friday night I came from work and my mom and brother they were doing a cookout and then we were about to eat when the pastor came by and said they wanted to talk to us, so I still continued doing what I was doing and then my son came and he said the pastor asked if we can go to the river so I told him no, he didn't even finish his statement I told him no. Then he came in bed and he came back to me and said mom the pastor wants to talk to you, so I got up and came to the pastor and she was like we are doing a fundraising to take the kids on a trip and we will do it on the river side and she explained to me and I told her I don't allow my son to go to the river with anyone if not with me he doesn't go anywhere, especially to the river. And Em she said she was taking full responsibility for it, I told her that I need him to come back in one piece and she said yes we will bring them back, it will be four adults. So I told her okay, he listens so he can go."
The family left at 7:00 that morning, and both her son and Deshawn were under the supervision of the pastor. Deshawn had gone into the water with three other boys, but not long after they lost track of him, and he went under.
Voice of: Aunt of Drowning Victim
"When I woke up in the morning i just got the news from my sister that they couldn't find Deshawn and my friend was there she had just reached and she saw me and she tried to hold me and then I tried to call, I tried to call people to see where my mom was because we couldn't find my mom but she had gone to buy groceries. So I believe that after that a couple minutes ago the police called me and they told me that he wasn't reacting and he was in the hospital and when we got there it was a lot of thing. Friends and neighbors were already there and I saw my mom, she was not doing well and after that I asked for my dad and I went into the room where my nephew Deshawn was. And there he was, it was so sad seeing him he knew that we loved him and we knew we couldn't do anything else to bring him back he was full of spirit he was so energetic and I always played with him, we used to see him as a little brother, my mom raised him from when he was 8 months and he grew up spoiled, he was my little brother. He was my nephew but he was my little brother."
After 20 minutes of searching, Deshawn's body was located and pulled from the water. Attempts were made to resuscitate him but it was already too late.
Police say Deshawn drowned while he was trying to swim across the river.
Email
Print