Body of teen pulled out of Erie Canal; Newark CSD will provide counseling

NEWARK, N.Y. — The Newark Central School District will provide counseling for students, staff, and anyone else who needs someone to talk to after a 17-year-old drowned in the Erie Canal on Monday night.

Newark Police Chief Richard Martin says the teen went into the water just after 8 p.m. near Main and Van Buren streets. A person nearby jumped in to try to rescue the teen but was unsuccessful. The Newark Fire Department pulled the victim’s body from the water. Details are limited right now out of respect for the family.

“These kinds of scenes are extremely difficult for first responders. …It’s tragic not only that there is a death but the age of the victim especially,” Martin said.

Investigators are still working to determine what led up to drowning. Martin says everyone needs to be careful around the canal. It’s considered “black water” which means you can’t see below the surface.