Carbon County, Pennsylvania – A 12-year-old boy from New York lost his life during a class trip along the Lehigh River in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, officials have confirmed.
The boy fell into the Lehigh River in East Penn Township on Wednesday, May 27, according to the Carbon County Coroner’s Office. In a letter addressed to parents, Superintendent Jeff Nichols identified him as 12-year-old Cesar Albarracin Guncay, a 6th grade student at the Sag Harbor Union Free School District in Long Island, New York. Nichols noted that Guncay was on a class trip to the Poconos when a rafting accident claimed his life.
Divers from the Lehighton Fire Department Dive Team pulled Guncay from the water. Chief Deputy Coroner Jason T. Smith pronounced him dead at 6:50 p.m. that same evening.
An autopsy is scheduled for Thursday, May 28, to determine the exact cause and manner of death.
“There are no words to adequately express the depth of this loss,” Nichols wrote in a letter to the Sag Harbor School community. “Cesar was a cherished member of our school family, a child who mattered deeply to all who had the privilege of knowing him. His absence will leave an irreplaceable space in our classrooms, our hallways and our lives. Our deepest sympathies and condolences go out to Cesar’s family and friends during this very sad time. We will keep them in our thoughts and prayers.”
According to Nichols, counselors will be available Thursday and throughout the coming days to support students and staff across the Sag Harbor School District.
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