Body of Teen Recovered from Icy N.J. Lake

BUDD LAKE, N.J. - The body of a teenage boy who disappeared in the partially frozen waters of Budd Lake Monday evening was recovered today.

Meanwhile the search for a second teen who remains missing was temporarily suspended Tuesday evening, Acting Morris County Prosecutor Frederic Knapp said.

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Knapp said the New Jersey State Police Marine Service Bureau was active in the recovery, devoting a total of six-and-a-half hours with a team of six divers. 

"The divers who used sonar to assist them in their efforts made a total of eight dives in an attempt to recover the bodies," Knapp said. "The body of one of the young men was recovered."

Mt. Olive Mayor Rob Greenbaum said at 3:08pm Tuesday on his Facebook page that the body of a teen who went missing Monday night had been found and pulled from Budd Lake.

"The State Police Dive team recovered one of our lost youth. I am hopeful for the second family that we can bring some closure to this tragic event shortly," said the Facebook post.

According to Knapp, the NJSP will be returning Wednesday morning to continue their recovery efforts. 

"We extend our condolences to the families," Knapp said.

Mt. Olive Police Corporal Eric Anthony said responders would continue to search and no one was giving up until the recovery operation was completed.

"But I haven't been out on the lake so I can't say for certain about the timetable," Anthony said.

There has been little in terms of a lull in activity on Sandshore Road near the intersection of Budd Avenue since calls came in at 6:20 p.m. Monday.

Clyde Schimanski Jr., a father whose son—Clyde Schimanski III—went missing around the same time as the calls came into police, told Patch he’s “kind of in shock.”

“My son was a good kid,” Schimanski said. “He would never pull a prank like this. I realized around 6:30 (Monday night) my son was one of the ones (in the lake).”

It is yet unknown if the body recovered Tuesday afternoon was Schimanski's son.

A crew of divers began the search for the boys Monday night, according to Mt. Olive firefighter Doug Fenichel. Additional responders resumed their search at 8am Tuesday, Fenichel said.

“We hoped it was a hoax,” Fenichel told Patch. “But as information came in, we realized otherwise.”

Families of the teens gathered inside Budd Lake Chapel Tuesday and are meeting with authorities and grief counselors.

Following the accident and reports of screams for help from the lake, firefighters and police attempted reaching the teens by boat, but were unable to reach them, Fenichel said.