Child's body recovered, search ongoing for man in Cuyahoga River after inflatable inner tube capsizes
CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio (WJW) – The body of a 5-year-old boy was recovered from the Cuyahoga River Sunday and search operations are still underway for his father after they went under the water while on an inflatable inner tube Saturday evening.
The child's body was pulled from the water just before 9:30 a.m. Sunday. He was pronounced dead at the scene, Cuyahoga Falls officials said, and his body was taken to the Summit County Medical Examiner's Office. The boy's identity and cause of death will be released at a later time.
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Boats, drones and divers were actively searching the area for the father Sunday afternoon.
'Our thoughts are with the family during this tragic time,' a Sunday afternoon news release from the City of Cuyahoga Falls stated. 'The Cuyahoga Falls Fire Department, along with our county partners, remain committed to continuing search efforts throughout the day.'
Just after 6:45 Saturday evening, the Cuyahoga Falls Fire Department was dispatched to the Cuyahoga River south of Broad Boulevard following a report of a capsized 'flotation device.'
'Upon arrival, fire and rescue personnel initiated a coordinated search operation. Units deployed both watercraft and ground personnel to assess the scene and locate any individuals in distress,' a Sunday morning news release from the City of Cuyahoga Falls stated.
According to a Saturday night news release from the Akron Police Department, the Akron Fire Dive Team was called to the scene just after 7:50 p.m. after it was reported that a man and a child were in the water after their kayak capsized near the Sheraton Heading.
'It was confirmed that the two persons were on an inflatable flotation device, not in a kayak as previously reported,' the updated report from Akron Fire stated.
Cuyahoga Falls Fire, Akron Fire Department, the Summit County Water Rescue Team, Metro Parks Rangers, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol were all involved in the search.
Rescue efforts were suspended just before 10 p.m. Saturday due to darkness and hazardous river conditions. Crews resumed their search just before 8 a.m. Sunday.
'River levels remain extremely high, and several areas are still difficult or impossible to access safely,' a news release stated.
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A post on the Cuyahoga Falls Facebook page asked residents to avoid the area of the Cuyahoga River between Broad Blvd. and Gorge Metro Park.
'Trained rescue teams and aerial support are on scene. For your safety and to support the ongoing efforts, please do not attempt river access in this area and respect all 'Trail Closed' signs,' the post states.
Authorities in Cuyahoga Falls and with the Metroparks are also urging people to use caution when entering the river at any point, and to stay out of fast moving currents.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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