Friend urged vanished teen to get out of NYC’s East River: source

The search for a missing teenager in the East River continued on Saturday, with new details emerging about the incident. The 15-year-old girl, who was wearing a floral bathing suit, was sitting on the rocks of Roosevelt Island, dipping her toes in the water when a friend saw her go into the river around noon on Friday.

According to police sources, the friend warned the victim to get out of the water, as she knew that the girl couldn’t swim. Despite the warning, the fast-moving current swept the girl away. The friend went to get help, but when she returned, the teenager was nowhere to be found.

Investigators found video footage showing the girl being dragged north by the river’s current. They also discovered the girl’s belongings, including two books, a bag, sneakers, and some clothing near the site where she disappeared. The NYPD boats were back on the river on Saturday afternoon, continuing the search for the missing teenager.

The NYPD’s SCUBA team also joined the search efforts, looking for the girl’s remains. Local resident Adrina Hegbeli, 77, expressed her sorrow over the tragedy, mentioning that she had seen the girls before the incident and was devastated by the news.

Some parkgoers speculated that the girl may have jumped into the water to retrieve a dropped phone, but police had no witness accounts confirming this. The identity of the missing teenager has not been released as of Saturday afternoon.

The community is deeply saddened by the incident, and the search for the girl continues as authorities work to piece together the events leading up to her disappearance. The NYPD is urging anyone with information to come forward as they strive to bring closure to this heartbreaking situation.