Portage Lakes Drowning: The Akron, Ohio community is grappling with the heartbreaking loss of a young boy who tragically drowned at Portage Lakes State Park on Friday. The incident occurred around 5 p.m. when law enforcement and emergency responders were called to the scene following a report of a 6-year-old child who had gone missing in the water.
Search and Recovery Efforts
Upon arrival, multiple local residents formed search teams alongside professional rescue crews to locate the missing boy. Despite their best efforts, the child’s body was discovered hours later. Agencies involved in the response included the Akron Police Department, Summit County Sheriff’s Office, Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and several ambulance services. Preliminary investigations suggest that the boy was playing near the Upper Deck area of the park when he wandered into the woods and accidentally fell into the water. The PLX recovery team, water rescue units, and various law enforcement agencies are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the drowning.
Woman’s Body Found Near Portage Lakes
In a separate incident earlier in the week, a woman’s body was discovered near Portage Lakes in Summit County on Thursday morning. The Coventry Township Fire Department was alerted at 6:57 a.m. to a possible body in the water. When officers arrived at the 900 block of Portage Lakes Drive, they found the body of a female floating about 10 feet from the shore.
Victim Identification and Investigation
The Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office later identified the woman as Catherine Altizer, who lived on Fig Drive, less than 200 feet from the lake. Her body was identified using fingerprints, and there were no visible signs of injury or foul play, according to Chief Investigator Gary Guenther. The circumstances of her death remain under investigation by the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and the Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office. Emergency responders had briefly closed Portage Lakes Drive between Cormany and State Mill roads, which border the North Reservoir and Long Lake Channel, while they recovered the body. The road has since been reopened.
Community Reaction
These back-to-back tragedies have deeply impacted the Akron community, highlighting the importance of water safety and the unpredictability of accidents near natural bodies of water. The local community is mourning the loss of the young boy and the woman, with many expressing their sorrow and extending condolences to the affected families. As investigations continue, authorities urge residents to remain vigilant when near water and to take extra precautions to prevent further tragedies.
