Search teams recovered the body of a missing 10-year-old girl from the Passaic River in New Jersey on Friday, July 31, 2026. The discovery concluded a two-day search involving boats, sonar, and cadaver dogs after the child and two others were swept into the river while playing near a boat ramp.
The Search and Recovery at Market Street Bridge
The recovery effort ended just before 7 p.m. ET on Friday after a local couple spotted something unusual in the river near the Market Street Bridge. The residents, who lived in a nearby building, alerted emergency services after observing what they suspected to be the missing girl. Passaic Fire Chief Patrick Trentacost Sr. confirmed that search teams, which had been operating since Wednesday, were prepared to conclude their efforts for the evening when the call came in.
Mayor Hector Lora noted that the quick intervention of the witnesses was critical to the mission. Had that couple not said anything, and the current, as fast and as strong as it was, would’ve continued all night, there could be a possibility [the body] would’ve ended up by the Newark Bay and continued, and we may have never found her,
Lora told reporters. Boats were deployed within 15 minutes of the report, and the child’s body was located in Wallington, approximately 100 feet from the bridge.
Incident Origins at Pulaski Park
The tragedy began on Wednesday evening, shortly after 6:20 p.m., when three children were playing near a boat ramp at Pulaski Park in Passaic. According to reports from the Passaic Police and local officials, the children were swept into the water, which had been swollen by recent rainfall. The group included an 11-year-old girl, a 10-year-old boy, and the 10-year-old girl whose body was recovered on Friday.
The 11-year-old survivor was able to reach safety, a feat authorities attribute to her younger brother. In conversing with her, her account, the little boy may have saved her life,
Mayor Lora explained. As he was going under, he pushed her and she ended up by the rocks, and she climbed out.
Search crews discovered the boy’s body late Wednesday night, approximately 50 feet from where he had entered the water.
Resource Coordination and Community Impact
The multi-agency recovery operation utilized advanced technology, including sonar and drones, alongside traditional search methods. Passaic Fire Chief Patrick Trentacost Sr. emphasized the dedication of the responders, stating, We never, ever pulled our people out until we felt that there was no other thing we could do.
The search was particularly challenging due to high water levels and swift currents, which officials warned remained dangerous even as the river level began to crest.
Garnto Jr. joined local officials in mourning the loss, noting that all three children were residents of Garfield. Following the recovery, the mother of the deceased child was brought to the scene. Mayor Lora described the moment as one of extreme grief and understanding that there was confirmation that she has lost her daughter,
though she found some peace in being able to see her child one last time.
Observations from the Scene
In the aftermath of the recovery, officials noted a rare atmospheric occurrence that provided a somber point of reflection for the families. Despite the lack of rain in the immediate vicinity at the time, a prominent rainbow appeared over the river. We didn’t see any rain in that area, but there was a very strong rainbow that just stood there,
Lora said. This brought some comfort to the mother as she was waiting to see her little girl.
The incident has drawn attention to the hazards of the Passaic River, which flows 80 miles through suburban and urban areas. Local witnesses, including Lian Rodriguez, described the area as a known flood zone and questioned the lack of physical barriers near the water. As of Friday night, officials requested privacy for the affected families as they process the loss of the two children.