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Piqua Superintendent: ‘In times like this they gather together, support one another, help each other’

PIQUA — Friends and family of a Piqua teenager are grieving after a 16-year-old’s body was recovered from a pond where he had been fishing on Sunday.

  • Police identified the victim as Zachary Vincent Paul McDaniel of Piqua.
  • McDaniel was fishing with his stepfather who called 911 after McDaniel went into the water to retrieve a fishing lure, Piqua police said.
  • Piqua crews were called just before 4:30 p.m. to a small pond at the intersection of Statler Road and Cromes Drive, Piqua Police Lt. Marcos Rodriguez said.
  • The Montgomery County Coroner's Office confirmed it has the body of the drowning victim.

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Grief counselors were present at Piqua High School on Monday to assist students and staff members after a student was found dead in a pond on Sunday.

“By the end of it, they were really sharing some great emotions and great feelings about the student and having really good conversations,” said Piqua City Schools Superintendent Dwayne Thompson. “So, it was a good chance for them to do just what we do best here in Piqua, and that's in times like this they gather together and support one another and help each other through these kinds of events.

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Thompson said teachers debriefed their students during the first period of the school day today regarding the death of sophomore McDaniel, and students were given the opportunity to meet with a grief counselor.

Our deepest sympathy goes out to this family as we respect their privacy at this time,” Thompson said. 

When emergency crews were called on Sunday, officers dove into the water, but did not find the teen.

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A dive team was also called.

McDaniel’s body was recovered at 7:16 p.m., the lieutenant said.

The teen’s death is under investigation by the police department, Rodriguez said.

McDaniel’s body was taken to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office.

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