Police: Body of 16-Year-Old Girl Recovered from Menotomy Rocks Park
The body was in Hill's Pond, police said. The death does not appear to be suspicious, according to a preliminary investigation.
The body of a 16-year-old girl was pulled from Hill’s Pond in Menotomy Rocks Park at about 12:35 p.m. Monday by Arlington emergency personnel.
The victim, who had been reported missing a short time before the recovery, was found submerged in about 6 feet of water, according to a police news release. She was dead on arrival.
According to a preliminary investigation, the death does not appear to be suspicious, police said. However, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office are assisting Arlington Police with a full investigation. An autopsy has also been scheduled.
The park was temporarily closed by police during the search.
Police tracked the victim’s location to Hill’s Pond area via her cell phone signal. There, police saw further evidence and eventually found her body.
Menotomy Rocks Park was relatively crowded during the Patriots’ Day holiday, according to police.
“This was a troubling event for Arlington residents and other park visitors to witness as Arlington investigators recovered the victim and other evidence from the pond,” Arlington Police Chief Frederick Ryan said in a statement.
Massachusetts State Police also assisted in the search, according to scanner reports. A helicopter was seen above the park during the search, and at about 2 p.m., Arlington firefighters could be seen leaving the park’s Jason Street entrance with wetsuits in hand.
The victim’s identity is being withheld by police pending the notification of family.