TOWN OF SOUTHEAST – Tragedy has struck the Brewster School District on
the eve of the opening of school.
A 14-year-old high school boy drowned Monday night in Lake Tonetta despite
the efforts of emergency responders from both Putnam and Westchester counties.
The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office identified the victim as Oscar
Gonzalez, who was to celebrate his 15th birthday next week.
Around 9 p.m., Gonzalez and a group of teenagers went swimming off a private
community beach adjacent to Shore Drive in Southeast. Mid-way out to a
raft the victim began calling for help and disappeared into the dark waters.
Calls to the Putnam County 911 Dispatch Center in Carmel resulted in a
massive turnout of emergency responders from the Brewster and Putnam Lake
fire departments Mahopac Falls and Putnam Lake fire department dive teams,
and paramedics from the EM STAR Ambulance Company.
Other fire departments including Carmel, Croton Falls and Mahopac were
placed on standby.
Using boats, firefighters searched the water without success and about
45 minutes later, the Mahopac Falls divers located the body in about 20
feet of water. CPR was begun but Gonzalez was pronounced dead at Putnam
Hospital Center a short time later.
Commissioner of Emergency Services Ken Clair who responded to assist called
the incident a “horrific tragedy. The boy was well liked in and
out of school. We all pray for his family.”
