A teen boy described as a “happy kid” by his family vanished while swimming off the coast of New Jersey during a school trip – just two days before his graduation.
Davoris Carter, 14, disappeared Monday afternoon after going into the water in Wildwood – but his swim shorts were found by his mom on the sand, WABC reported.
It’s not known why Carter entered the water, but he was with a family member at the beach, who had left to get food, according to his grandmother, Kenya Pippen.
Four kids were swimming toward a flag, Pippen added, but said, “As far as I know, no staff member got into the water with any of the children.”
Pippen claimed there were no lifeguards at the stretch of beach – something which baffled her as the kids had special needs.
“There were no lifeguards present at all, and they still allowed these children with special needs to get into the water with no adults,” she said.
And Carter was fully-clothed when he ventured into the water.
First responders rushed to the scene just after 1:35 p.m. after receiving reports of swimmers in distress.
One cop helped three swimmers to safety just as fire crews were arriving, according to Ernie Troiano, the Wildwood Fire Department chief, said.
They were identified as two juveniles and a 19-year-old, who was hospitalized.
But the rescue was hindered by strong currents.
“The water was running pretty strong north to south when we went down there, so our rescue efforts were focused on that,” Troiano said.
“We took into consideration the tide cycle, the way the currents were running.”
US Coast Guard officials combed waters around 500 yards near the theme park Morey’s Piers – and helicopters and drones were deployed.
New Jersey cops drove ATVs across the shore in a bid to find the missing teen, described by his grandmother as a “great kid” and a “happy kid.”
“He’s just a kid. He was supposed to graduate on Wednesday,” she said.