Posted on 08/08/2015 6:34:34 AM PDT by FlJoePa
JUPITER, Fla. (WSVN) -- Police are investigating after, they said, a 15-year-old boy who was pulled into the Jupiter Inlet drowned Friday evening.
According to Jupiter Police, the victim was swimming in the lagoon area of DuBois Park, located at 19075 DuBois Road, when he was swept by the outgoing tide. While in the water, several bystanders, along with a retired Jupiter Police officer, attempted to rescue him, to no avail.
Jupiter Police and Palm Beach County Fire Rescue received reports of the drowning and responded to the scene at around 5:45 p.m. About an hour later, divers were able to pull the unresponsive teen, later identified as Edwin Castañon, out of the water. He was transported to the Jupiter Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Friday's tragedy comes two weeks following the disappearance of Tequesta teens Austin Stephanos and Perry Cohen after, their families said, they set off on a fishing trip from the Jupiter Inlet. "It's all a tragedy. My heart goes out to the families of the missing boys from the boat last week and then also for this family as well," said Jupiter Police Chief Frank Kitzerow. "It's just a reminder that this inlet is, it's a beautiful inlet, it's just a very dangerous place at times. "
On Friday, officials found two life jackets and a white cushion on the coast of Savannah, Ga. that are currently being analyzed to determine whether they have any connection to the 14-year-olds. A private search for the boys continues.
Stay tuned to WSVN 7 News and wsvn.com for updates on this developing story.
Jupiter Inlet has shown no mercy this summer.
FL Joe looks like the boys were together with their life jackets and cusion as all 3 items appear to moved at the same rate of speed.Too bad the CG didn’t spot them while they were still in the jackets.
I won’t speculate what actually took place.
Natural water must be respected at all times. Terrible tragedies.
What exactly is Jupiter Inlet? Explain please. Is it a natural body of water with dangerous rip currents - or what? Living in Minnesota, I have never heard of it. When I read the story I was still perplexed as to what it was all about. it could have been a storm sewer for all I knew. Obviously it is not that.
Thanks for any explanation.
An inlet is a channel that allows ocean water to enter and exit a bay area. During the rise and fall of tides the current can be very swift with undertows
Jupiter Inlet has amazingly clear water, and lots of fish to see. I’ve been snorkeling there. The lagoon is nicely shielded from the rest of the inlet. I don’t see how anyone could get into trouble unless they went too far from shore.
There’s even a comment on Google reviews about how it’s good for children because it’s calm and shallow.
When the tides change, the current gets much like the Mississippi river up there in Minnesota.
I’ve fished in inlets and it’s a bit scary when the engine on your boat is going flat out but you’re still being dragged out to sea by the current. A swimmer who gets caught in it is just plain screwed.
Well I guess it will remain a mystery. Certainly a sad situation for sure.
It was probably a rip tide... Pulled the boys away from shore. If that happens just swim WITH the current until it peters out... then swim to shore. If a person panics and tries to swim to shore before the rip ends - tries to swim ‘against current’ they usually drown.
I wonder what caused the boy to come out of their life jackets , if that is what they are thinking. Tragic!
Not necessarily a rip tide. Tide going out through a fairly narrow inlet creates a rush of water into the ocean from the IC, sound, river or what have you. Can’t speak for Jupiter but it’ll undermine the sand out from under your feet and make it difficult to stand or walk in knee deep water.
The Jupiter inlet is also an "outlet" for the Loxahatchee river. After a big rainfall and with an outgoing tide the flow of water out to sea is >7 knots. Its impressive and alarming if you are standing on the rocks of the jetty.
The park where this happened has a big "tide pool" where little kids can swim and play - but it is connected to the inlet channel and if swimmers venture out too far...
I also live in the Jupiter area. This is one of the prettiest pictures I have ever seen of the lighthouse. For those that are seeking an explanation of the inlet and channel, if you follow the water up and to the right the inlet opens via a jetty/channel into the Atlantic Ocean. The currents, even with calm waters as in the the picture, are deadly near the outlet.
http://www.evsjupiter.com/main.htm
the next one up Sebastian can be just as ruthless;
http://www.sebastianinletcam.com
I love them both and being in the CG in that region for years, respect them more>
examination of the jackets will tell.....if they are shredded I think we know the answer...if no marking or damage then maybe they never had time to put them on.Most only wait for storms to come up before donning.
I saw a twitter clip of the seas at the approximate time these kids were out there and it wasn’t pretty...if they lost power and were screwing with the engine a swell could have flipped them and it was over after that.
We spent 30 years fishing in Galveston Bay and off shore in the Gulf. It can change very quickly. We didn’t wear our life jackets all the time, looking back on it. We never got out of the sight of land when we had a 21 ft boat, but when we had a 42 foot boat we fished a 100 miles off shore and even spent the night out there. Great fishing memories.
Some videos showing the hydrodynamics of Jupiter inlet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7x-pXdK1nU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gus-raNrO3A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9RDHkAK5qk
Sad. RIP.
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