A 15-year-old girl from Manhattan’s Upper East Side has been missing since Friday afternoon after she reportedly entered the East River near Roosevelt Island.
The incident occurred around 12:15 p.m. on May 30, when the teen allegedly went into the water, the New York Post reported. possibly to retrieve a dropped phone, and was swept away by strong currents.
Despite extensive search efforts by the NYPD and FDNY—including scuba divers, helicopters, and drones—the girl has not been found. Personal items believed to belong to her, including books, a bag, sneakers, and clothing, were recovered at the scene.
A friend who was with the girl at the time told authorities she had warned her not to enter the water, noting that the girl couldn’t swim. Some bystanders claimed the girl slipped on rocks and fell in, but the NYPD stated there are no confirmed eyewitness accounts of her dropping a phone into the water.
Weather conditions temporarily halted the search, which resumed the next day. The incident has shocked the local community, who are acutely aware of the East River’s strong currents and associated dangers.