Castorland, NY -- A 10-year-old boy drowned Friday while canoing on flooded flatlands near his family's farm on Ridge Road in Castorland, Lewis County sheriff's deputies said. Isaac Bender and his 12-year-old sister, Gloria Bender, had taken the canoe out during the day. When their father couldn't see them, he and his 14-year-old son took out a row boat to...
Castorland, NY -- A 10-year-old boy drowned Friday while canoing on flooded flatlands near his family's farm on Ridge Road in Castorland, Lewis County sheriff's deputies said.
Isaac Bender and his 12-year-old sister, Gloria Bender, had taken the canoe out during the day. When their father couldn't see them, he and his 14-year-old son took out a row boat to look for them, deputies said.
Bender found his daughter trying to swim to shore and brought her in the boat. He later found Isaac Bender face down in the water, deputies said.
Because of high winds, the canoe took on water and swamped, deputies said. Both children had on life jackets at the time. The water where the children were found was four to five feet deep and had a temperature about 50 degrees.
An autopsy performed today determined the cause of death to be accidental drowning, deputies said.