12-year-old boy dies in Lake Michigan at Neshotah Beach

TWO RIVERS, Wis. (WBAY) - Resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful on an unresponsive boy pulled from Lake Michigan after he had gone missing in the water shortly before noon on Saturday, August 19, 2023.

In a written statement issued on Saturday evening, the Two Rivers Police Department provides the following information:

The victim was last seen in the water off the northernmost end of Neshotah Beach. Water rescue teams from the Two Rivers Fire Department (TRFD) and Manitowoc Fire Department, the Manitowoc County Sheriff Department’s (MCSD) Drone Team, MCSD’s Dive Team, a Coast Guard Helicopter, and Eagle III were dispatched to the scene.

A TRPD officer located the boy still in the water approximately half a mile northeast of where he was last seen. An off-duty Manitowoc Police officer assisted him in bringing the male to shore where life-saving measures began immediately. The boy was transported to Aurora Medical Center in Two Rivers. Sadly, he was pronounced dead.

The name of the deceased will not be released since he was a juvenile and out of respect for the family during this tragedy. No further information will be released at this time as the cause of death is being investigated by TRPD and the Manitowoc County Coroner’s Office. Although still under investigation, there is no information to believe that the death is suspicious.

TRPD advises everyone that rough water and/or currents in Lake Michigan, and its tributaries, can be very strong and dangerous. Swimmers and watersports enthusiasts should exercise caution while enjoying time in or near any body of water.

The department wants everybody to assess and know their physical limitations, utilize Personal Flotation Devices (PDF’s), and avoid the water during beach warnings.

TRPD wishes to express its condolences to the family of the deceased during this difficult time.