After a week of search efforts, the bodies of two New York boys have been recovered days after they were reported missing. On Saturday (May 20), authorities pulled the body of Alfa Barrie from the Hudson River at Riverside Drive and 102nd Street in Manhattan.
The 11-year-old was reported missing on May 14, two days after he was last seen with his friend, Garrett Warren. An autopsy is scheduled for today (May 21). At this time, authorities have not expressed any suspicions of foul play. Warren’s body was recovered on Thursday (May 18) around 10:15 a.m. near the Madison Avenue Bridge, which crosses over the Harlem River. An ABC 7 report stated that a medical examiner determined the 13-year-old’s death was caused by accidental drowning. An investigation into where Barrie and Warren each entered the rivers is ongoing.
“At first, we couldn’t believe it. Looking at the fences around, a kid of his size cannot jump that far. So did someone push him? What happened? Was he kidnapped? We don’t know,” Adhmadou Diallo, a friend of Barrie’s family, told the news outlet as the community gathered at a mosque in the Bronx.
Barrie, who was in the sixth grade at Democracy Prep Public School, is fondly remembered by those who knew him. Natasha Trivers, CEO of the public charter school system, issued a statement that reads:
“We are devastated to learn that Alfa Ousmane Barrie is no longer with us. Our hearts go out to his family and friends and the community that is grieving for him. Alfa was a sixth grader at Democracy Prep Harlem Middle School, where he stood out as a funny, bright, witty, inquisitive, and brave child. He will be sorely missed by his teachers and fellow students. We also stand in solidarity with the family of Alfa’s friend, Garrett Warren. While he was not a student, we understand that this is a difficult time for his community as well and share our prayers with them.”