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ID Released For 14-Year-Old Area Drowning Victim

The 14-year-old boy who drowned in Tonetta Lake in Southeast on Monday night has been identified.

A 14-year-old boy drowned while swimming in a Putnam County lake.

A 14-year-old boy drowned while swimming in a Putnam County lake.

Photo Credit: Google Maps street view

Oscar Gonzalez, who would have been a sophomore at Brewster High School when school begins Wednesday, was reported missing in a 911 call around 9 p.m. when he was swimming with a group of friends off of a floating dock on Shore Drive in Southeast. 

When Putnam County Sheriff's deputies arrived they observed a group of individuals at the end of the dock and an adult male in the water.

The adult male informed the deputies that he was nearby when he heard cries for help. He dove into the water to attempt to rescue the teen, but was unable to locate him.

Witnesses indicated that Gonzalez had been with three of his friends when a paddleboard they were on turned over and he disappeared under the water, according to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office.

Gonzalez, a Southeast resident who would have turned 15 on Sept. 17, was located by divers about 45 minutes after being notified he had not resurfaced.

He was transported to Putnam Hospital Center where he was pronounced dead at approximately 10:15 p.m.

Brewster School officials, who sent out an email announcing his death and offering condolences, said counseling will be offered for students Tuesday afternoon, and again when school starts on Wednesday. 

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