Man Found Dead At Sandy Hook Wednesday

HIGHLANDS, NJ — A man died of apparently natural causes Wednesday afternoon at Sandy Hook/Gateway National Recreation Area, Middletown police announced.

At approximately 2:37 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, July 24, Middletown police, along with federal park rangers, responded to F Beach on Sandy Hook for a report of a man down.

Park rangers located the adult man lying on the sand near the water’s edge in an unresponsive condition. The Middlesex County Medical Examiner is examining his body, but at this time his death does not appear to be criminal in nature, said Middletown police.

His name has not been released, pending notification to the family. While the cause of death is unknown, this doesn't appear to have been a drowning, said Middletown police spokesman Lt. Paul Bailey.

This is the second person to die at Sandy Hook in the past week: As Patch reported, a woman from North Bergen drowned after she went for a midnight swim in Sandy Hook Bay late Saturday night, July 20.

The body of Melissa Fries, 37, of North Bergen was found at 5:50 a.m. Sunday after it washed up on a private beach in the area of Valley Street in Highlands. Friends reported her missing sometime after 11 p.m. Saturday night after she went swimming with a group of people to escape the heat wave. Her death was ruled as an accidental drowning, Highlands police said.

Police ask if anyone has additional information, to please call the Middletown Twp. Police Detective Bureau at (732) 615-2120.

Related: Woman Found Dead After Apparent Drowning At Sandy Hook