UPDATED: Accidental Drowning Ruled Cause of New Brunswick Boys' Deaths
New Brunswick police say Francisco Pereira-Rodas 10, and Devine Nicholas, 11, died from accidental drowning. Their bodies were found in the Raritan River on Monday.
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Editor's Note: Previous versions of this story contained incorrect mispellings of of the name of Francisco Pereira-Rodas, as it was provided by authorities. The spelling has been changed as per information provided by the New Brunswick Public School District.
UPDATED: Accidental drowning has been ruled the cause of death for two New Brunswick boys who vanished on Sunday night and were found Monday afternoon in the Raritan River.
Cpt. J.T. Miller of the New Brunswick Police Department said that because the cause of death has been ruled accidental by the Medical Examiner, foul play is not suspected in the case.
An alert went out on Monday morning from the NJ State Police that Francisco Pereira-Rodas 10, of Somerset Street and Devine Nicholas, 11, of Mine Street had gone missing.
Pereira-Rodas's body was discovered first after it washed ashore on the Highland Park side of the river, just below the Albany Street Bridge. Nicholas's body was found in the river a few hours later by police combing the waters.
Autopsies were performed on both boys on Tuesday.
The NJ State Police sent out an alert stating that the two friends were reported missing by their mothers on Sunday night after the boys said they were heading to a nearby park that evening.
According to a report on NJ.com, Nicholas's mother, Carol Leonard, told a reporter that the two boys did not frequent the river area.
According to New Brunswick Police, agencies that assisted with the search for the boys included the New Brunswick Fire Department, the Highland Park Police and Fire departments, the Perth Amboy Police and Fire Department Marine Units, the Somerset County Dive Team, and the New Jersey State Police.
This is a developing storyline. New Brunswick Patch will have more information as it becomes available.
Beth
6:14 pm on Monday, August 6, 2012
My prayers to the family of this young boy. You are being thought of with love and sorrow. Let God hold onto you.
cheryl
8:51 pm on Monday, August 6, 2012
I had so hoped that the boys had gone on 'an adventure' and would get tired/hungry and return safely home. I cannot imagine the pain that the families are going through. Prayers go out to all of you. God bless
L. Burgos
8:57 pm on Monday, August 6, 2012
My heart is aching right now for the families of these two boys. Words cannot express my sorrow to hear of this tragedy
Christina Marie
9:08 pm on Monday, August 6, 2012
So so sad. So sorry. RIP little boys, RIP and lord, please give the family and friends strength to get through this.
Diane Tann
9:38 pm on Monday, August 6, 2012
My prays go out to the family ..I posted it Sunday on face book that the boys were missing ..I was praying that they were safe ..again my prays ..dee tanned
Nancy Harris
8:55 am on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
I am so saddened I have children and grandchildren and cant begin to imagine the pain these families are suffering today. I pray Gods Peace upon these families right now in Jesus name
AM1968
9:53 am on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
I'm sorry this happened to these 2 little boys, but am just wondering why the mother didn't report her son missing sooner than monday morning?? he is a 10 year old boy that left the house sunday night saying he was going to play ball and you wait 'til monday - i would have been calling the cops right away..I am sad this happened, but maybe these boys could have been found sooner if they were reported missing sooner...
Trinity20z
10:22 am on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Wow, that is so sad. Did they drown? What were they doing playing by the river at night? Keeo you children close people. Kids are still kids at the end of the day. They looks so young to be hanging out in the streets at night like that?
Selena
10:26 am on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Hindsigt is 20/20 I'm sure if these parents could do it over again they would not let them out late at night and would have reported them missing right away. Maybe she fell asleep and did not realize he was not home yet? Odd for a parent to not realize that, but who knows why that went down the way it did. So sorry for their loss, they look like they were sweet little boys.
Monica Huff
11:02 am on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Forgive me for lack of focus...I have completely submitted to God...know that their spirits are one with god and my sorrow is deep...All parents be vigilant...J.
BooHooNJ
11:20 am on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
It is a terrible thing that has happened to these two young boys. I hope that their poor little souls rest in peace now. However, RESPONSIBLE parents do not let their 10/11 year old children wonder the streets and not come home at night and then wait 10 HOURS to report them missing!
AM1968
2:29 pm on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
i totally agree with you!!!
Leslie Bianczik
2:46 pm on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
You're both miserable human beings.
BooHooNJ
4:54 pm on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Really Leslie? I'm sorry if reality sucks. My children are not allowed to walk to the park at the corner of the street by themselves and I live in a much safer neighborhood than New Brunswick. And my children are older than 10 / 11 years of age. It's the reality of how the world is today. If you have children, then be a PARENT!!!!
ty
7:26 pm on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
BooHooNJ, Cut the umbilical cord, and let your kids that are older than 10 and 11, walk to the corner to the park. If you raised them right, they won't get into any trouble and you won't have to worry about them going there. There is no way to know for sure what these parents are like, but I can tell you, if you teach your kids not to go down to the river and the consequences and what would happen if they did, they would not go. I hope you can teach your kids how to be independent, and that the world isn't a scary place! And I hope you can learn that you can trust your kids, and what you have taught them!
Jersey Girl
11:40 am on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
According to the Home News Tribune, the parents reported these children missing on Sunday night. Lets not make it even harder for these families.
My heart goes out to them. I can't begin to imagine the pain they must be going through. God bless those two beautiful boys.
jeff s
12:37 pm on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
can not think of anything worse than losing a child.
jeff s
12:38 pm on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
sorry for your loss. there can not be anything worase than losing a child
Monica Huff
1:05 pm on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
As a parent, one should look past the external and society's stigmas...Know that all you should see is the beauty of your child's heart...To be emotionally invisible to a parent is deemed one of the worst ways to exist as a human being...Embrace your children and their differences...Let not one more soul go silently into the night...For our family needs and deserves to heal...[], J.
J
9:44 pm on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
These families live a different lifestyle than those of you, and I, who "live in a much safer neighborhood than New Brunswick." I was Francisco's teacher - he was a good boy and he had a good mother. They had a difficult life. Lighten up. The community is on its knees.
cheryl
10:20 pm on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Thank you J. People really need to stop criticizing. Prayers go out to the families. We all grieve for these boys.
Trixie Gee
3:26 pm on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Everyone in the surrounding communities are devastated over the loss of these two angels.May you rest in the arms of god forever. Please pray for the families of these young boys and try not to criticize the parents. open your hearts with love and just hope that others will follow. Love is what is all about.
Trixie Gee
3:41 pm on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
To all first responders and anyone who helped with the search for these boys, thank you. I'm sure you were hoping that the outcome would be a happy one, but unfortunately it was very tragic. HEAR ME, FEEL ME, TOUCH ME, FOR WE ARE HUMAN TOO.
MARIA CONDE
10:45 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
TO ALL THE FAMILY MEMEBERS, OF THIS TWO "ANGELS". I PRAY TO GOD THAT THIS "ANGELS" REST IN PEACE. THEY ARE GONE FOREVER TO THE BEGGINNG OF THERE NEW LIVES. REMEBER MOMMIES THIS TWO "ANGELS" ARE NOW IN GOD'S HAND. THIS IS HE WAY HE HAS PLAN THIS TWO "ANGELS" DESTINY. KNOW THEY'RE IN A PLACE FULL OF LIGHT, WHERE EVIL DON'T EXCIST, AND THEY CAN REST. THIS TWO "ANGELS" WANT TO SEE YOU BOTH HAPPY, ENJOYING YOUR LIVES, BECAUSE WHEN YOUR TIME COMES, THEY WANT TO MEET YOU THERE, AND IT WILL BE ETERNAL, NO MORE CRYING, NO MORE SUFFERING. THIS IS THE BEGGING OF THEIR NEW LIVES, ONE DAY YOU WILL MEET WITH THEM AND IT WILL BE FOREVER. MAY GOD GIVE YOU STRENGHT TO PULL THOUGHT THIS DIFFICULT MOMENTS. IT HURTS SO BAD TO LOOSE A LOVE ONE, YOU DON'T NOW HOW MUCH IT HURTS UNTIL YOU EXPERIENCE IT YOURSELF. MANY BLESSINGS MY PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU ALL, MY HEART GOES OUT TO YOU GUYS. R.I.P "LIL ANGELS'
Trixie Gee
9:18 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
GOD WILL LIGHT THE WAY FOR FRANCISCO AND DEVINE WITH ETERNAL LOVE FOREVER. THESE TWO ANGEL BOYS HAD THE BIGGGEST HEARTS ,WITH SMILES THAT WOULD MELT YOU. PRAY FOR THEM FOR THEY ARE AT PEACE WHERE THERE IS NO HATRED, BULLYING, BLAMING SOMEONE ELSE, BUT SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD OUR FATHER.
Trixie Gee
9:28 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
Maria you can't say it any better.God Bless