Officials identify teen recovered from pond at Cheshire’s Mixville Park

The Cheshire Police Department identified the body recovered Monday from a pond where a teenage boy was last seen swimming at Mixville Park in Cheshire on Sunday afternoon.

The body was identified on Tuesday as the missing teen, Jefferson Paul Loja, 18, originally from Ecuador but most recently staying with family in Meriden, police said.

Police and fire department officials responded to Mixville Park around 4:18 p.m. Sunday for a report that a teenager, reported to be 18 years old, was missing. According to the police, the teenager was last seen swimming in the pond in the park on Sunday afternoon. According to multiple media reports, the teen was not a strong swimmer, police said.

Cheshire Fire Department personnel started searching the surface of the pond using fire department boats, police said. The Cheshire Police Department conducted a search of the surrounding land areas, including the building within Mixville Park. Members of the Region #5 Dive Team responded to the scene to assist with the search. The search continued until approximately 9 p.m. Sunday when it was suspended, according to police.

Mixville Park was closed after the incident on Sunday and Monday. Teams resumed the search in the pond around 8 a.m. on Monday, and a summer day camp was moved to another park for the day.

The Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the cause of death was an accidental drowning, police said on Tuesday.