Data: RI saw at least 3 drownings this July

by: Sarah Doiron

Posted: Jul 31, 2023 / 08:57 PM EDT

Updated: Jul 31, 2023 / 10:08 PM EDT

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — It was a deadly month in Rhode Island waters.

The Rhode Island Department of Health tells 12 News that, while there have been less than five confirmed drownings so far this year, and at least three of them happened in July.

The first happened on July 9, when a Woonsocket man drowned in the Wenscott Reservoir while trying to rescue two distressed canoers. The man succumbed to exhaustion while swimming back to shore, and his body was found by divers a few days later.

The second took place on July 13, when an East Greenwich woman vanished while night swimming at Conimicut Point Beach. She was eventually found by first responders and rushed to the hospital where she later died.

The third occurred on July 18, when a Cranston man died trying to rescue two struggling swimmers at Scarborough State Beach.

The search for a missing teenager also came to a tragic end over the weekend when his body was found floating in the water near the beach where he disappeared.

The 15-year-old’s exact cause of death remains under investigation by the state medical examiner, according to the Health Department.

The state medical examiner is also still determining the cause of death for a child who was found unresponsive in a pool on Friday. 12 News has reached out for more information on the child’s death, but has not yet heard back.

Despite the frequency, the Health Department tells 12 News that the number of drownings is much less than previous years.

There were 20 drownings reported statewide last year, and 19 the year prior, according to the Health Department. Data indicates that most of the state’s drownings happen in June, July and August, and majority of the victims from the last five years were men.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers the following advice to prevent drownings:

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