Rescuers search for missing 4-year-old who fell into Merrimack River in Lowell
Rescuers are searching for a 4-year-old child who fell into the Merrimack River in Lowell on Saturday. Police say that the child fell into the river just before 6 p.m. near the Tsongas Center.
The child was identified by his father as 4-year-old Adriel Lopez.
4-year-old pulled into river's current
Police said it's believe the boy was quickly pulled into the river's current.
There was a large team of rescuers, including divers, an air wing, a marine unit, and field services, who searched for the child. The search was stopped just before 9 p.m. Saturday and rescuers resumed their search Sunday morning, along with some neighbors who helped out.
"As a parent myself, I feel what they feel because I did lost awhile ago, one of my daughters passed away at the age of 12 and a half," said Johnny Velez, who lives nearby. "As a parent, you feel what other parents feel and this is the reason I'm out here. We hope for them to find him alive but we don't know, we just hope for the best."
Strong current
The 117-mile river is known for its strong current. The name Merrimack translates to "place of strong current," according to the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce in New Hampshire.
"It happens so fast, and you don't expect it. That's what it is. I'm sure these poor people thought it was going to be a nice day, and it's just unfortunate," Salisbury resident Richard Nagle said.
The river begins in New Hampshire before passing through Lowell, Massachusetts, Lawrence, Haverhill, and before emptying into the Gulf of Maine in Newburyport.
