Officials suspend search effort to recover missing teen

By Uriah A. Kiser

Published: June 8, 2008

Stafford Fire and Rescue officials have suspended the search and recovery effort for a Maryland teenager who went missing in the Rappahannock River on Sunday afternoon.

A 17-year-old Hispanic boy visiting Falmouth’s Water Front Park with his Hyattsville, Md. church group was last seen swimming in the Rappahannock River at 2:30 p.m., according to Mark Stone, spokesman with Stafford Fire and Rescue.

Stone said witnesses saw the boy go under but he never resurfaced.

After searching for nearly three hours the rescue effort changed to a recovery effort late Sunday afternoon, with no hope of finding the teen alive, according to Stone.

“Right now it’s getting late and we’re going to get our divers out of the water primarily for safety purposes,” said Stone.

Divers will return to the water by mid-morning Monday to continue the recovery effort.

Rescue workers from Stafford County, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania and King George counties all assisted in the search.