Officials recover body of missing 7-year-old boy at Ohio state park

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

Authorities on Monday morning recovered the body of a 7-year-old boy reported missing Sunday after he fell into Salt Fork Lake in Ohio's Salt Fork State Park, according to multiple reports.

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The boy, identified by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources as Afton Taylor, of North Canton, was boating with his family Sunday afternoon when he fell out of the boat, WBNS-TV reported. Officials said he was not wearing a life jacket when he went into the water.

Authorities launched a search Sunday night by sonar and by air after Afton's family reported around 5:40 p.m. that he had fallen from the boat, according to the Zanesville Times Recorder. Officials suspended the search at midnight without finding the boy, the newspaper reported.

His body was recovered Monday morning in a no-wake zone at Salt Lake Marina, officials said in a news release obtained by WTTE.

The Guernsey County coroner, Dr. Sandra Schubert, told CaptonRep.com that an autopsy will be performed to confirm his cause of death.

"We do not suspect foul play, but an autopsy has been ordered due to the nature of the accident and the age of the victim," Schubert told CaptonRep.com.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources recommends all children wear life jackets while they are on boats.

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