Man Drowned In Lake While Swimming With Friends In South Jersey: Cops

BRIDGETON, NJ — A man drowned Sunday evening after going swimming in a South Jersey lake, authorities said.

Marco Lemus-Giron, 31, was pronounced dead on the shore after getting pulled from Sunset Lake in Bridgeton, Cumberland County, police said. His death marked the second reported drowning in a South Jersey lake last weekend.

Lemus-Giron, of Hopewell Township, went to the lake with friends Sunday evening, police said. Lifeguards had already left the area at 6 p.m., when the beach was closed for the day.

The victim's friends called police at about 6:45 p.m., saying they couldn't find Lemus-Giron for some time after he went swimming. Lemus-Giron's friends, first responders and other beachgoers failed to locate him during initial search efforts.

Just before 8 p.m., the Downe Township Fire/Rescue Dive Team found Lemus-Giron unresponsive just below the surface. Rescue personnel brought him to the shore, where medical staff pronounced him dead.

"Police are urging that visitors avoid swimming in the lake absent life guards as this is not the first drowning involving swimmers entering the water when life guards are not present," said the Bridgeton Police Department.

A 19-year-old was found unresponsive Saturday afternoon in Lake Garrison in Gloucester County. His death was ruled an accidental drowning.