Laurel Boy Drowns in Pond on His 13th Birthday

UPDATE: Authorities released an update, identifying the teen as Dennis Kemp of Laurel instead of Silver Spring as earlier reported.

[Original]

A boy from Silver Spring drowned in a lake at Oregon Ridge Park Friday afternoon. It was his 13th birthday.

The boy went missing around 12:30 p.m. at the park off Interstate 83 in Cockeysville, 20 miles north of Baltimore, according to The Washington Post.

The boy was on an outing with the Silver Spring-based Camp Sonshine, WJLA reports. Witnesses say the boy was in distress and went under the water in the roped-off, deeper section of the lake. In order to be permitted into the deeper section, swimmers must pass a swim test. The victim, along with other members of the Camp Sonshine group, had passed the test.

Three lifeguards on duty at the time searched for the boy after he went under the water, the news outlet reports. Baltimore County Fire Department took over the search when they arrived.

Members of the department’s dive team found the boy’s body around 3:08 p.m., according to the Post.

His body was in about 45 feet of water, WJLA reports. County Executive Kevin Kamenetz visited the park and spoke with the boy’s parents.

“This is a terrible tragedy,” Kamenetz told WJLA. “On behalf of the citizens of Baltimore County, I offer deepest sympathy to the victim’s family and friends.”

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