Body of 19-year-old missing swimmer recovered in Hyde Park’s Turtle Pond

A Boston teenager is dead after swimming in Hyde Park’s Turtle Pond.

Around 5:46 p.m. Thursday, Massachusetts State Police shared that units responded to reports of a missing swimmer in Turtle Pond. Two hours later, police tweeted that the body of a 19-year-old Boston resident was recovered.

The victim has since been identified as Jason Peri Bonilla, of Roxbury, according to state police on Friday morning. Via investigation, authorities believe that Bonilla went to the pond around 3:30 p.m. Thursday with “several” friends and began swimming. Bonilla was said to be “a good swimmer,” and he and one of his friends decided to swim from one dock to another on the other side of the pond.

“About halfway to the other side of the pond, at about 4:40 p.m., Bonilla began to struggle to continue,” state police said in a press release. “His friend attempted to keep him above water but was not able to do so. Bonilla’s friends and bystanders attempted to search the water for him as first responders rushed to the scene but could not locate him.”

Bonilla’s immediate family is in Honduras, but he was living in Boston with relatives, state police said.

The search was a joint effort by the Massachusetts State Police Air Wing and Dive Team, the Boston Fire Department, and the Boston Police Department.

This is the latest in a spate of recent drownings. A 60-year-old man drowned in a backyard swimming pool on June 23. A 1-year-old, Angelo Nicoloro, drowned in a backyard swimming pool on June 19 during a family gathering.

On June 6, a 19-year-old drowned at Mound Street Beach in Quincy after entering the water to retrieve a ball. A 39-year-old man drowned on May 27 after going into Houghton’s Pond in Milton to get a ball. In two tragic June incidents, adults who attempted to rescue drowning children also died.

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