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Teen who drowned in Cheshire pond identified

The teen was originally from Ecuador, and had been staying in Meriden.

CHESHIRE, Conn. — The teenager who died while he was swimming Mixfield Park pond in Cheshire has been identified. 

Officials said Jefferson Paul Loja,18, was last seen swimming around 4 p.m. on Sunday, and his body was found Monday.

Loja was originally from Ecuador, but had recently been living in Meriden. 

First responders were first called to the park around 4:18 p.m. on Sunday on a report of a missing swimmer. They immediately launched a search on the surface of the pond while the Region 5 Dive Team explored underwater.

Cheshire Police Chief Neil Dryfe told FOX61 News earlier on Monday that the missing teenager had been out with friends before he went missing.

"They were out by the rope line, which is kind of the marker for the swimming area," he said. "They decided to swim back to shore. The friend came in. When he got to the shore, he realized his friend was not with him."

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Dryfe said the Loja's friends search the restrooms and when they couldn't find him, they alerted the park ranger.

Loja had been in the country since February and staying with an uncle in Meriden.

"Just a horrible tragedy for the kid's family," he said.

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Dryfe said Monday that one of the difficulties in the search was visibility in the water.

"According to the divers, and there's been divers in the water for hours between last night and this morning, when you get down into the water, the visibility is - they're estimating - about four inches," he said.

RELATED: Body found in Candlewood Lake after days of searching for missing 20-year-old man: DEEP

This was just the latest drowning incident in Connecticut this summer.

Dryfe cautioned that if you are not a strong swimmer, be mindful of water safety.

"Water is a dangerous thing and you have to be extremely careful, even in a small body of water," he said.

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