Body of teenage boy who disappeared while jet skiing found in Jordan Lake
The body of a teenager who went missing while jet-skiing was recovered Thursday near the Farrington Point boat ramp at Jordan Lake, Chatham County authorities said.
The Sheriff’s Office and other agencies had been searching for the 15-year-old boy since Tuesday when his watercraft started having mechanical problems and he disappeared about 8 p.m.
The pastor of the family’s church identified him as Roberto Enrique Deleto, according to ABC11, the News & Observer’s media partner.
“The loss of a loved one is always difficult,” Sheriff Mike Roberson said in a news release. “And while this isn’t the outcome we had hoped for when we began our search Tuesday evening, we hope this provides the young man’s family with closure and some peace.”
Deleto, who went by Rob, was out on the water with a friend, ABC11 reported, but when he started having mechanical problems, the friend went to get help. Deleto was missing when the friend returned, ABC11 reported.
Rescue crews found his watercraft first, and found a life vest near the watercraft.
Around 11:30 a.m. Thursday, a Chatham Fire Rescue truck arrived at Farrington Pointe and blocked the boat ramp. Ambulances left the scene shortly afterward.
A life vest wasn’t recovered from Deleto, according to the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office.
‘Like a little brother to all of us’
Friends gathered with the family while the search was underway and embraced each other, some quietly sobbing, after they received the news Thursday.
Friends said Deleto was a sophomore at Carrboro High and worked at McDonald’s off of U.S. 15-501 in Chapel Hill. It was typical for him to be out on the lake on a day off, they said.
“You never would have thought that would happen, you know?” Axel Medrano, 20, said through tears Thursday. “We were always out here; it was normal for us.”
Angel Vélez, 20, a close friend of Deleto and his brother Saverio, considers himself part of the Deleto family. They are of Puerto Rican descent like him. Rob Deleto was known to spend a lot of time with his older brother, who goes by Sav or Savi, said Vélez.
“If you ask anybody in our friend group, he’s like a little brother to all of us,” Vélez said Thursday. “He liked going on jet skis, he liked adventure, played basketball. Same with his older brother, always used to be together.”
Friends said Deleto spent time with family at the lake grilling, and he was experienced with his personal watercraft.
“He knew what he was doing,” Vélez said.
Agencies offer assistance
The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, N.C. Highway Patrol, North Chatham Fire Department, Moncure Fire Department and FirstHealth EMS and Jennifer Miller of the REDS Team, who brought a dog trained to find missing people, according to the release.
Also on hand were two pastors from the family’s church, Monte Sinai church in Durham’s Lakewood neighborhood, as well as Dan Robinson, pastor at Mt. Gilead Baptist Church in Pittsboro, who also serves as chaplain for the North Chatham Fire Department; and Berenice Lazaro, victim services coordinator with the Sheriff’s Office.
This story was originally published March 9, 2023 at 12:16 PM with the headline "Body of teenage boy who disappeared while jet skiing found in Jordan Lake."