The Austin Police Department (APD) found the body of a teenager in Lady Bird Lake, which officials believe could belong to the missing paddleboarder that was reported by a family on Sunday.
A spokesperson for the department, Corporal Jose Mendez, said that they were still trying to determine whether or not the teenager found in the lake was the same one as the missing individual. The latter was said to have been kayaking and paddleboarding in the area at the time.
Teen's Body Found in Lady Bird Lake
Mendez added that the Travis County Medical Examiner which was responsible for analyzing the body that was recovered has not yet made a positive identification. However, APD officials shared that the clothing and demographics of the body that was found matched those of the missing teenager's profile.
In a news conference on Tuesday, the corporal paid his condolences to the family of the victim, noting that the entire community is affected by the tragic development. He called it an unfortunate situation and is now trying to figure out what exactly happened, according to the Austin American-Statesman.
The APD said on Tuesday that investigators found the teenager got out of his kayak in a shallow part of the lake. However, the individual was not aware that it was actually a part near an abrupt drop that is known as an underwater shelf.
The teenager was not wearing a life jacket at the time and is believed to have either slipped or stepped off the shelf into the lake and did not return to the surface. Officials later found his kayak along with his life jacket and backpack, Fox7Austin reported.
No Evidence of Foul Play
The recovery of the body of the teenager was conducted after a 911 call that reported a deceased person being seen in the lake. Police officials said they do not suspect foul play to have played a role in the teenager's death as there was no trauma found to the deceased's body.
Authorities are now urging all residents and visitors near the leak to wear life jackets at all times, especially when they are in or around bodies of water. They added individuals should be aware of potential changing depths and underwater hazards.
Following the original 911 call that reported a deceased body in Lady Bird Lake, crews with APD's Missing Persons Unit, the Travis County Medical Examiner's Office, and crime scene specialists all responded to the scene. Additionally, authorities blocked off a portion of the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail, as per KVUE.
