“He was just in the water too long,” Collins said.
The boy was under water for an estimated 49 minutes, according to the preliminary investigation, Deputy Chief Tom Christy said.
Police and fire rescue units were dispatched to the area of the river near the Garnsey Street bridge about 4:21 p.m. on a report of a child in the river having problems swimming.
Witnesses reported seeing a boy in the water go under and not return to the surface, Christy said.
Brown was with friends “and he made the decision to swim across the river,” Christy said, made it about half-way across, and got into trouble.
Police Lt. Rick Cron, who was the first officer on the scene, waded in as far as he could, but he was unable to locate the boy, Christy said.
Piqua fire Capt. Brent Pohlschneider said one of his divers found the boy, by touch because of the darkness of the current, in 8 feet to 10 feet of water.
Divers used a pattern search, moving back and forth, to locate him, Pohlschneider said.
Ironically, he noted, Piqua firefighters were in the river on Monday, July 20, doing a training exercise in water rescue.
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