Officials have identified the 17-year-old boy who died Thursday after jumping into the Jordan Creek in Allentown.
Ameer Simmons was pronounced dead at about 2:20 p.m. in the 300 block of Basin Street, according to Lehigh County Coroner Daniel A. Buglio. Simmons had jumped from a railroad trestle into the Jordan Creek, a tributary of the Little Lehigh Creek, and did not resurface, according to a coroner’s office news release.
Buglio said the teen died from drowning, with the manner accidental.
The city fire department said Simmons jumped into the creek about 12:45 p.m., and firefighters and paramedics searched the water and along the creek’s banks. The fire department’s dive team found him about 1 p.m.
The coroner said people should be careful spending time in the water as the warmer months approach.
“Every year, we respond to incidents that serve as a reminder of how quickly a day of recreation can turn into a tragedy. Natural waterways can be unpredictable, with changing currents, varying depths, hidden hazards, and cold water temperatures,” he said. “Please keep a close eye on one another, avoid taking unnecessary risks, and never underestimate the dangers that water can present.”