Emergency personnel and beach-goers alike are shaken after a young man drowned at Centennial Beach in Barrie Friday evening.
Emergency crews were called to the beach around 6pm after a sixteen year-old boy went missing.
Melissa Sipos, who works at a nearby restaurant, heard the cries for help.
“There were a few kids that were there, and they were screaming "help help", so we knew someone was drowning," she says.
Emergency crews formed a human chain with people at the beach, to help with the search. It was then that Sipos noticed the young man’s mother.
"I just kind of got this feeling that I had to go over there and pray with her. So I went over there and I just asked if she had a faith, and she said yes. I said I'm just going to sit here and pray with you.”
Minutes later emergency crews found the teenage boy. He was found just below the waterline, about twenty-five feet outside of the designated swimming area.
He was rushed to hospital where he then was pronounced dead.
Police aren’t sure how this tragic accident happened.
“From this point police will continue to investigate the matter, speak to several witnesses, and hopefully draw conclusions as to exactly what took place,” says Constable Sarah Bamford from the Barrie Police.
The boy and the mother were visiting from outside of the county.
