Updated: Haverhill Youth, 18, Drowns at Plug Pond Outside of Designated Swim Area

Haverhill Police close entrance to Plug Pond. (Daniel Sullivan, Seacoast Fire Photography, photograph for WHAV News.)

Update: Marco Antonio Cajilema Quijosaca of Haverhill was identified as the drowning victim by Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker’s office.

An 18-year-old Haverhill man died early Sunday afternoon after apparently drowning in a deep portion of Haverhill’s Plug Pond.

Haverhill Police Chief Robert P. Pistone told WHAV police were dispatched around 1:30 p.m. after receiving an emergency 911 call. The man, whose name has not yet been released, was last seen in the water up to his waist. Haverhill Police, Fire and harbormaster; Pridestar Trinity EMS and State Police and Beverly Dive Teams were all on scene. The body was recovered in water about 25-feet deep just after 3 p.m.

“It appears to be a tragic accident,” said Pistone.

The area of the drowning is far outside the city’s designated swimming area. The designated area is cleared of weeds and generally about five-feet deep.

Witnesses said Mayor Melinda E. Barrett was at the recreation area and spoke with the man’s family. Others reported a language barrier may have caused confusion in advance of the reported disappearance of the man.

The park was cleared and Haverhill Police closed the entrance.

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