Body Found of 14-Year-Old Boy Who Went Missing After Swimming in Ocean on Class Trip to Jersey Shore

The body of a 14-year-old boy who went missing in the ocean off Wildwood, N.J., on a class trip earlier this month has been recovered and identified, according to authorities.

Davoris Carter III, who went by the name of “Peter”, went missing on Monday, June 1, after a Wildwood Police Department officer was alerted to swimmers in distress off the shore just before 1:30 p.m. local time.

Police officers, firefighters and lifeguards found several people in the water, and brought three to safety, but realized that Davoris was unaccounted for.

Rescue efforts continued with the U.S. Coast Guard, New Jersey State Police and other local agencies ᴀssisting with boats and helicopters, according to a press release from the Wildwood Fire Department at the time.

On Wednesday, June 10, police said in a new press release that they were notified the previous day that recovery efforts for a deceased person were underway near the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May.

“During the course of this investigation, it became apparent that this individual may be the 14-year-old juvenile male victim who had gone missing in the ocean,” the police confirmed.

The department worked with the Coast Guard, New Jersey State Police and Cape May Police Department to recover the remains, and the medical examiner’s office confirmed that the body was Davoris.

“Our sincere condolences are with the juvenile victim’s friends and family during this very difficult time,” the police said. “We also want to thank all the first responders who ᴀssisted with not only the initial rescue operations, but that of the recovery efforts.”

Davoris’ mother, Shyara Hill, spoke out about her son’s disappearance for the first time earlier this week. The Philadelphia native told NBC10 that he was two days away from his eighth-grade graduation at Delta School, a private special education school in the city.

She said her son, who loved hockey and basketball and wanted to be a marine biologist, “deserves to be brought home.”

Shyara also questioned why her son was in the water to begin with. “The weather when I got out there, it was cold,” she recalled. “Why was the decision to go in the water? Where was the people that was supposed to be there supervising?”

Previously, Davoris’ grandmother, Kenya Pippen, accused school staff of insufficient supervision, telling ABC station WPVI that he entered the water fully clothed, leaving his swim shorts on the shore.

The school’s CEO, Dr. David Weathington, told NBC10 last week that six students and six staff members were on the trip, explaining that the students had supervision.

The Delta School said in a statement on its website that it was “heartbroken” and offered free mental health support services to all students, families and staff following the incident.