From the Havre de Grace Police Department:
On Saturday, May 28, 2011 at approximately 3:15 p.m., officers of the Havre de Grace Police Department responded to the area of Jean S. Roberts Memorial Park situated near the 600 block of Water Street for a report of a young male that had disappeared under the water. Approximately one hour later, the body was recovered by Rescue Divers of the Susquehanna Hose Company.
The victim has been identified as Michael Jerome Sawyer, 16 of the 300 block of Seattle Slew Place, Havre de Grace, Maryland.
According to witness statements, Michael along with several other friends had entered the water in an area that is approximately 9 feet deep. After swimming out approximately 20 yards, they attempted to return to shore. It was at this time for unknown reasons, Michael began to struggle and could not make it back to the shore line.
“This incident is a horrible tragedy,” said The Havre de Grace Police Department extends their thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of this young man.”
This matter is still an active investigation. At this point, there does not appear to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding this incident. Furthermore, it does not appear that drugs or alcohol were present or a factor. Toxicology reports from The Office of the Chief Medical Examiners Office are still pending.
The real tragedy is not only the loss of a young life. It is the total disregard the City goverment and City Hall has for the children of Havre de Grace. Not all children just the poor,low income children of parents who happen to live on the wrong side of town. Yes a small town like this has a wrong side the side of town that runs along the east side of the Rte. 40. There for working class families facing massive job loss due to the changes in the injection mold bottle industry life is not easey. Honest people who can not own a home or belong to swim clubs or live in developements that provide pools to the residents of those developement.
This town has a need and it is anecessity for a public pool. it did in 1994 when my son and his friends decided to go swimming and talked his best friend to join him. He is still haunted with that decission he made that day how could he appoligize to his friends Mikes mother enough and help ease the pain she felt. How does one give back a dead child all they wanted to be and wanted nto have.
The irony of this statement is that the victim’s family lived in affluent Bulle Rock; and one way or another actually could have access to the gated community’s two pools- the outdoor pool having reopened this past weekend.
There is one situation you are unaware of. The child father lived there but the child was living on the streets. He recently arrived to town from Arizonia where he lived with his mother until her death. For what ever the reason he and his father didn’t see eye to eye. This is the third child who has a parent who lived in Bulle Rock who became disposable. By the way all three of these children came from broken homes. One is dead, one is facing life in prison and one is in North Carolinia. the parent may live a life of privaledge but the children became disposible.
It is unfortunate and tragic for a child to die.
However the child in question lived on the west side of Rte. 40. This accident has nothing to do with class warfare and you should be ashamed of yourself.
Honestly
You don’t have a clue what you are talking about . His father lives in Bulle Rock but the child live here a short time. He was moved here from Arizonia and would still be alive but his mother died. According to the children he played with in town he was put out of his fathers house and didn’t fit in with the elite people of Bulle Rock.
It is sad to turn this tragedy into something it is not. A young man lost his life, and his faily is grieving. His “upper class” community has a communal pool, and this young man and his friends decided to swim in the river instead. SO push for a community pool, but that isn’t going to make a difference to this grieving family or the youth that are just trying to have some fun.
His family may be gieving but they sure have a funny way of showing it . No funeral or grave here instead he is being sent back to his mother to be burried next to her. His resting place is going to be in another state forgotten by all but a few in a week or two. Just like the other children who have been claimed by the river. It is about class the entitled against the less fortunate.
Of course developement and tourism are more important than children it always has been and always will be. I seen it nfor over 56 years.not a thing done for the children. I have raised my five but seeing the same problem again and again. I have nothing left to due but die and still worry about the children who see no future or hope in this town because of selfishness. If it means paying another $100.00 a year in property taxes to save another child and give them more hope for the future I am more than willing to pay it. I consider it an investment in the future.
If this were a beach u would not have complained. He could have a medical issue. Why didn’t his friends save him. If he was having trouble they should have helped. I don’t know the whole situation so I’m not pointing finger just trying to understand your thinking. But I will keep your son and family in prayer. It’s riff when something you do turns out bad or not the way you planed even when its not your fault. Ask police fire ems military and doctors.
They did try to save him but were unable to. They will have to live with the guilt forever. Don’t blame the kids. In 1994 when Michael Pengburn drowned in town a survey was taken from all the students from Havre de Grace. Richard Dobb my self and several others tabulated the results at city hall. Mitch Shank spent many hours trying to accomplish what the students said was needed. City Hall and City goverment made sure none of their needs didn’t happen.The children by overwhelming choice wanted a pool and a center with computers for their use. In the end the end up with a community center that is more fit as a senior center. Still no place for the children.
Being a life long resident of Havre de Grace the issue of a beach has been discussed many times. Every time the idea was dropped due to the health department due to to bad water quality. I don’t know if any one would want to drink that water unless it runs through the water plant first. The only safe water around here is treated water.
It is real easey to hide and be critical of life long citizens who won’t hide behind screen names like Krazy which makes me feel as though the name must realy fit the personality. Just for your information I have voted in every election since 1974 or some where in that time span. In fact my firt vote was for former President Gerald Ford. Not that I alwats agreed with the GOP canidate or policey. In fact I have five children and they all vote not all of them in Havre de Grace.
Eversince 1955 I have this same stupid discussion being brought up again and again. My question to you KRAZY is what is the value of a childs life. What is the monetary value to all the hopes,dreams, and achievements. What about the service they may be to society. Or suffering,guilt,and loss of friendship to those who where with him that day. You can not come up with a cost or value. It wasn’t your child so realy you don’t care.
As long as people of Havre de Grace keep their eyes closed to the problems that plague this community the youth are going to driven to drugs and gangs because no one cares an there is nothing else to do. If we don’t make them feel worthy of this community the gangs will be there social outlet and club.
A beach around here is not a safe alternative. The river is poluted with manure spread by farmers who spead manure up stream. At present one of the papers reported that deer creak is currently closed for recreational use except fishing. Every few years the fish show up with sores to the point there are advisories not to eat the fish.Watermen get sick from handleing these fish.
Of course you must believe that you know better than all the pros. with the big degrees that say you are talking nonsense. There is no place in Havre de Grace that is suitable for a beach. Second of all I doubt you could find enough open shore line to build a beach the waterfront is now private property and the view of the water except at parks are private.
Wow this is so sad. My prayers goes out to their family.
This is sad and I feel for the family! The first commenter thinks the government now has to provide pools for everyone?
No I don’t think the city should because too many narrowmined adults feel as though these kids are disposable. How many more children need to die or would it be more convient to just outlaw children in Havre de Grace.You can not name one project this city has spent a dime on for the children in the past 37 years. Not one I know because I was born here and raised five children here. I just thank God they all have grown up to adults and not die like many other children who are left up to there own means to keep occupied.
The water is very inviting and many boaters swim there every summer. Due to the bay grasses of the flats working as a natural filter we enjoy some of the cleanest water there is in the bay. Most of the town is in some way benefited by the waterway. The very thing that makes HdG so nice is also the unfortunate source of tragedy. The water didn’t care about this young man’s home situation or sense of exploration any more than it would yield for the 80yr old man that recently drowned while going boating. The current in that area can sometimes run well in excess of 8 knots. If you would like to put money somewhere, water safety education is a good start. Memorializing those whom the water has taken (somewhere close to popular swimming holes) may also prove to be a sobering reminder of such a needless loss.
Being born and raised here and raiseing a fairley large family you don’t have to remind me about how inviteing the water is. Every few years a new reminder appears in the paper another childs dreams and future lost. If you feel as though the river water is so safe and clean go down there and get a big glass full and drink it. The river and bay are polluted period. The bay is in a state of being close to a national disaster. Or did that piece of national news pass you up when the report made the state and world news it is endangered. Sea grass has some effect on water quality but marsh lands did a better job. Oh I forgot we filled in all the Marshes and swamps in around Havre de Grace for developement. I guess I have lived here too long to forget the past. Everyone used the river as an open sewer and dump. Up river the factories in Pa. dumped toxic waste, heavy metal, and what ever in the river that stuff didn’t disappear in one two or any generation it is there. The health department will not say any part of the water front is safe to swim in due to polution. So quite fooling yourself. The fish at times become dieseased to the point ther has been warnings not to eat them a couple years ago.
There is only one answere a safe public pool. It has been discussed to long. Createing debt to save the future of the children is worth it no going into debt to create houseing developements that are stymied by a slugish economy.
John, I doubt you would want to drink a big glass of water from a public pool either! Attacking the activities here that are successful will not help anyone. The concerts, the promenade, the playground, festivals, history & museums and yes first fridays are all things to embrace and be proud of. Thousands of swimmers feel it’s safe to swim at the flats or Sand Dollar Islands. Fish and crabs populations are at levels that haven’t been seen for decades and find their way to dinner tables throughout Harford County. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation reports bay conditions are without doubt trending in the right direction due to awareness and enforcement.
A pool may be a good community asset but not at the expense of a rant that drags down everything else. I makes me sick to think of the recent loss but I don’t see the money coming out of the current economy. Something like movies in the park (with zero tolerance for unneighborly behavior) may be a more realistic immediate goal. Downtown will only have businesses if money is spent there and those that stay open will be the ones we support. Life on a waterfront is a gift but not without it’s risk and cost. Water safety education should be something inherent to this area. Pool or not, people of all ages will still swim in the river and the time to find out the power of the river is not 25 yards away from shore without a vest.
Alan have you ever lost a friend to this river as a child I did.My son who is now thirty saw his friend drown and grows up living every day with thr regret that he and his friends saw a classmate loose his life to the inviteing waters edge.
As far as the downtown district it is not child appropiate for any child after 6:00p.m. When I see you do more than talk a good talk and nothing else you can never get my support on your position. Why can you be willing to count ballotts from a survey taken from the school age students in 1994. I was involved and I am pretty sure you where not. Mitch Shank was involved and the votes were counted in City Hall for all to see. Not behind some closed doors.
Your comments are quick to critize my opinion but You do not offer any solution to the children of this town. You can’t even saw you will be willing to try to come up with an alternitive. Just critizise others who have tried.
This town is dying just like the children. I see no concern from you about either must be you feel as though they are disposable. With the loss of a grocery store on the east side of rte. 40 and the down turn in the economy the property values will decrease by at least 20% that fact was announced on the local news when farm fresh announced that it could not find buyers for many of their stores thgat will have to shut down. Loss of business is do to many things but here we look to City goverment to try and help. They nseem unable while Abingdon get a Weagmans store useing federal stimulis money someone is asleep nat the switch.Oh yeah or federal monety went to doing sidewalks where it appears as though 20-25% of all business space is vacant, open only part time, or shuttered up. So forgetb the bring business downtown people who made a living doing business downtown for extended periods of time some cases for generation will tell you downtown business district is dead. Let Josephs Department Store, Golls Bakery, or Lyops pharmacy close and the funeral can begin. They seem to be surving on life support. The day of the business district is gone along with the fond memories of dollary day sales.
Good job doing your homework. Pat your self on the back. Here some homework from someone who you would consider just a child and very young. Now young ones so often will get rides or even walk to parties to get drunk, to see girls, or get drugs. As you can see they don’t normally do the same to get to a pool. And Im sorry his family is broken so is mine. I don’t drink or smoke or do drugs. I have gotten rides to legit car shows. We make choices by how we are raised and a pool would have passed for the river anyway. Buy go a head raise the money for a pool it is well needed. And if the kids provide the money for it they will take care of it longer. Show the kids responsibility for life and not compassion for continuous stupidity. Make the difference and stop expecting the government to raise kids. The community needs to participate. Here is your chance to step up. The door is open. We hold the opportunity to change the world in our hands…….. Are you prepared.
The real problem is the children of this community have no choices. In 1994 several people tried to give them opportunity an chances to make good choices. Now name me one thing this city has done for our children to give them a choice or opportunity. Being born here I remember the town had a place for us it was over City Hall and called the teen center. Not no more and since it was next door to the police station there wasn’t an issue with drugs or booze.
I know two of the major churches that had youth groups the catholic church and the methodist.
The problem is the adults in this town do not have the desire or resolve to realy get involved in createing a enviorment for the children. What do the children get out of this town first friday in a bar district because at night there is not one business that is open that doesn’t deal in booze. Oh I forgot we do have a July 4 celebration but that is only a few days out of the year.Recently in a conversation with a local business man a barber at that said Havre de Grace doesn’t have a business district. The downtown area isn’t about business and he along with my old self seem to wonder which will come first the death of downtown or our own death. I replied I believe downton is already dead.
First of all, anyone who does not know Michael, or the rest of the boys who were with him when he tragically lost his life, do not comment about them!
That said, these guys are a very close group of friends from different backgrounds who have come together for several years to cool off and have fun at “the swimming hole”. This day started like any other but ended in devastating tragedy for Mike, and his buddies left behind! My nephew swam with Mike for an estimated 25 feet before being close enough to yell for help from the other guys on shore, at which point, it was just too late for Mike. They did all they could for him!
The Susquehanna River does not kill people … usually a tragedy in the water can be accounted to the individual who got into trouble making a bad decision. This day, that bad decision was in swimming out too far to safely return to shore.
The city of Havre de Grace has NEVER been concerned with safe activities for it’s youth so it’s time parents take a stand! Putting life saving devices on the piers, making them take first aid and cpr courses as well as making sure they know how to properly help both themselves and/or someone else who becomes distressed in the water is where I, personally, am going to start.
This tragedy directly affected my kids and family and I will NOT wait for this city to protect these kids!
John, you are so right! The town is all ready dead, unless you’re a bar hopper of course. It’s up to the parents to make them safer.
See ya soon.
I have lost a friend to the river who was in a broken home. Same sad song. But even he could have gotten a ride to a pool. I blame no one. My friends would rather open water. It’s just the way of life. If some crashes without being drunk, high, or speeding what do we do. Build safer cars, have better classes, and oh blame it on sharp turns and weather. Sometimes we need to move forward, let go and let God. And Terri I believe it was my first comment where I stated I was not there and did not know them so I would not place blame. I just simply want you to understand if the city won’t listen watch your vote next time. Numbers win. Become mayor, council member, judges, city leaders. Make the change. God bless the families involved present, past, and future.
Krazy is a nickname that fits. But ask anyone and they will tell you I advocate for children all the time. And I don’t put money on a life young or old. In fact I help save them. And you should run for mayor or county executive. Correct the improper spending and spend it elsewhere. But again I’m very young. My friends would go swimming in river even if there was a pool on the dock. I’m not saying they would want the pool I’m saying that you can’t blame the city for what us kids do. And I’m not hiding behind a name. A lot of people know by this name even some politicians. This is the name I use for just about everything except legal documents. That’s how young I am. I’m growing out of that phase. I have a new job saving for the future and thinking about what I really want in life. I’m sorry you don’t think I care. I’m just saying to floor the city over something that more than just there problem without also doing the same to all involved. Just saying all the blame can not be place on the city. And I have still not pointed a finger. I would love to meet with you and talk more on the subject but mommy said not to meet with strange people of the internet. Oh and I have friends die from age twelve to now doing what the government could have done something to prevent. But we would have and have found ways around them. I pray others learn from my mistakes. And saying thing aren’t the same as when I was a kid is a sorry excuse I won’t use. Wrong is wrong. We all need to make better decisions. RIP Daniel Wheeler, Ariel, John Williams. Just some of my constant reminders from school and abroad to stay on the straight and narrow. I pray for there moms and dads a lot.
And correction my phone did not catch. ” not saying they would not want a pool”.
As said before until you want to come up with some solution for the children which you have not your words are meaningless.
The reality is there is nothing for the children to do in this town. I raised five children here and I was born here. I know it cost alot of money for my parents to find a safe place to swim.
I also had the means to take and pay for my children to places to swim. Yeah my son did look for ways to get around my work hours to do his thing but that was mainly due to lack of activities for the young.
I don’t think I said build a beach and if chats what you think I meant I’m sorry. About the paper your right never said any thing against it never even mentioned it. I know the water isn’t perfect. I never even promoted swimming in it just said a lot of people would and do. Alms as far as a solution water safety courses in school pools. Not sure which if any of the have pools or swim teams. And opening them during the summer as long as its monitored and rule are set and being followed. But you live there and I’m leaving the solution to you. I’ll will offer support wherever possible. I’m sure there is a resolve. We hold the opportunity to change the workday in our hands. What are you prepared to do. Your son snooping around because of lack of activities good argument. Even those with everything provided do a little snooping. I’m sure you son is a respectable person as you are and my mother has been told about me. But no one is perfect and we can’t keep every one out of the river. More drowning occur from accidents and suicide in the river than from swimmers from what investigations I’ve done. if you have something that says otherwise I would like to know where to find this documentation. On that note I trust those with degrees and their studies and never did I discredit them. I do thank you and appreciate your time and effort. I hope you understand I’m not attacking you. I just stated from the very beginning that it seem your blame was to HDG and I believe that can’t be solely the blame especially when the person was old enough to comprehend the dangers and or consequences of his/her actions.