Body discovered in East River as police search for 2 missing boys

Catalina Gonella

Published May 18, 2023

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail

Never miss a story

Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .

The Madison Avenue Bridge is a swing bridge and connecting Madison Avenue in Manhattan with East 138th Street in Bronx.

KazT/Shutterstock

Catalina Gonella

Published May 18, 2023

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail

We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

Police said they pulled a body from the East River near the Madison Avenue Bridge on Thursday morning.

The discovery came as authorities were still searching for two boys who were reported missing nearby earlier this week. It was not clear if the body belonged to one of the boys, police said, but a family member reportedly told PIX 11 that it was 13-year-old Garret Warren.

Both Warren and 11-year-old Alfa Barrie were last seen on video walking together near 145th Street and Lenox Avenue.

Barrie, who was reported missing on Sunday, was last seen wearing a sweater with a “Democracy Prep Harlem Middle School” logo, gray pants and gray sneakers, police said. Warren was reported missing on Monday and was last seen wearing a tan hoodie over a white T-shirt, as well as black jeans and blue and black Jordan sneakers, according to police.

Deputy Chief Brian Gill said earlier this week that the harbor unit had been deployed in the search, along with other NYPD personnel including the NYPD’s missing persons squad, detective patrol officers in Manhattan and the Bronx, and members of the strategic response group.

“We're going to search land, air and sea — obviously the water's right here. They're young children,” he said. “We're going to take every precaution. We have state-of-the-art equipment for helicopters. We have a harbor unit, and we're going to use all our assets to look for these kids, Gill said.

Tagged

new york city

public safety