(Michigan City, IN) - A 13-year old boy found drowned in Lake Michigan at Michigan City after missing for two days has been identified.

 

Keegan Roberts of Michigan City underwent an autopsy from a forensic pathologist Thursday morning at Franciscan Health hospital in Michigan City, said La Porte County Coroner Lynn Swanson.

 

Swanson said she was still waiting for the results of the autopsy but anticipates cause of death will be ruled an accidental drowning based on the information obtained during the investigation. .

 

Indiana Department of Natural Resources conservation officer Alex Neel said Roberts was with a group of friends entering the water late in the afternoon on Monday from the beach at Washington Park despite four to six foot waves whipped up by 20 mph winds coming in from the north.

 

Neel said the group ventured out in the water beside the Lighthouse Pier when Roberts in knee deep water apparently was pulled further out by rip currents created by waves crashing into the huge rocks along the pier.

 

“When the waves kind of crash over you get a pulling effect from the waves as they come out,” he said.

 

He said a friend noticing him struggling in the water made a rescue attempt but was not able to reach Roberts due to the rough conditions before the boy disappeared beneath the surface.  A search quickly followed but was discontinued a few hours later after four divers from the Michigan City Fire Department and DNR were injured from being slammed into the rocks by the large waves.

 

Neel said the injuries to the divers taken to the hospital were “relatively minor.”

 

Divers did not return to the water Tuesday because of continued choppy conditions that seemed to have slightly worsened.

 

Neel said divers along with a boat equipped with sonar to search the lake’s bottom returned Wednesday about 7 a.m.  A diver found the body less than one hour later on the east side of the pier where the boy was last seen.

 

The body was in about 11 feet of water roughly 40 feet from the break wall, he said. 

The National Weather Service issued a small craft advisory and warning about hazardous beach conditions Monday prior to the drowning.

 

Michigan City Fire Chief Barrett Taylor said there were no lifeguards on duty at the time.  Normally, he said lifeguards work until about 5 p.m.

 

“When the lifeguards are gone, you’re swimming at your own risk,” he said.