MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A 17-year-old boy drowned Thursday night while swimming with a group of teens in southwest Miami-Dade, authorities said.
The incident occurred in a lake in the area of Southwest 222nd Way and 93rd Path.
Miami-Dade police said up to seven teens were swimming in the water after school when one became distressed. Police said several people went out to rescue that swimmer and when they returned to land, they realized the 17-year-old was missing.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue was notified and divers pulled the teen from the water.
The teen was taken to Jackson South Medical Center, where he died.
Grief counselors were at the student's school, Miami Southridge Senior High School, on Friday.
"I saw him yesterday, too. And just to hear that he's gone already is sad," one student said.
Students told Local 10 News that a moment of silence was held in the morning for their classmate. A makeshift memorial was also placed on a tree by the lake. The teen has been identified as Kendall Flowers.
"It is really hard, you know, because he was such a sweet kid and very nice," one student said. "He tried to save one of his friends and, you know, he sacrificed himself. His friends were his family. He would have done anything for anybody."