The bodies of two teenage stepbrothers were found embraced in the water after they both drowned at a popular local swimming spot in Maine.
The couple apparently got into trouble after jumping off rocks on a 30-foot-high cliff.
Tavayne Weir, a Sanford High School student, and his stepbrother, D’andre Graham, 17 and 16, had told their parents they were going to the Springvale Recreation Area on Sunday night.
When the couple missed the 10 p.m. curfew, their worried parents called the police.
Police found the two teens’ car in the parking lot, but there was no sign of them in the darkness.
Tavayne Weir, 17, left, a student at Sanford High School, and her stepbrother, D’andre Graham, 16, right, died after drowning in the Mousam River in Maine.
The couple are believed to have jumped from a 30ft cliff into the river at the popular bathing spot.
Firefighters were called to assist with the search and managed to illuminate the scene, which includes designated swimming areas and trails on both sides of the Mousam River.
Both Tavayne and D’Andre were found underwater after an hour and a half of searching the river, but both had died.
“Using flashlights and high-intensity lights, they were able to locate them underwater,” he said. Major Matthew Gagne of the Sanford Police Department WMTA.
The bodies were found just a quarter mile from a 30-foot-high cliff that is popular with swimmers who jump into the river.
“We don’t know if they were jumping or just swimming because we don’t know exactly what time they went under. We assume they were probably alone as well because we didn’t get any calls from that area indicating anyone was in distress or actively drowning,” Gagne said.
There is a roped-off swimming area nearby, but the rocks and cliffs are tempting for teenagers.
Within hours of the teenagers’ deaths, people were seen climbing the rocks once again.
TO GoFundMe The page explained how the children’s bodies were found together.
“They showed incredible courage and loyalty, supporting each other until the very end, demonstrating the deep bond they shared.”
During the day, the cordoned-off bathing area is manned by lifeguards, but directly in front of the supervised area are the rocks where people are often seen climbing and then diving into the water.
It is not known exactly what the boys were doing that led them into trouble.
On Monday, just hours after the children’s deaths, thrill-seekers were again seen jumping into the river.
The children’s bodies were taken to the Medical Examiner’s Office in Augusta, Maine, where autopsies will be performed to determine exactly how they died.
In a letter to parents at the school the two attended, Sanford Schools Superintendent Matt Nelson expressed “deep sadness” over the drownings.
The rocks sit 30 feet above the Mousam River and often see daredevil swimmers splashing around.
“Our deepest condolences and thoughts are with the student’s family and friends,” Nelson wrote.
“We are saddened by the loss of our school community and will do everything we can to assist you and your child as needed.”
‘Tavayne and D’andre always considered each other brothers, and when their parents Kerryan and Morris tied the knot last year, their brotherly bond became official,’ a tribute to the brothers read.
‘They were more than stepbrothers; they were real brothers to each other. They grew up in Jamaica and did everything together, from playing basketball and riding bikes to playing video games.’
Tavayne and her mother, Kerryann, had recently moved to Maine “in search of a better future,” while D’andre had been visiting the area with her father, Morris, over the summer, intending to move permanently to Maine later this year.