A Bronx community is preparing to remember the 11-year-old boy who vanished along with a 13-year-old friend earlier this month and whose body tragically surfaced in the Hudson River over the weekend, authorities say.
The other boy's body was found in the Harlem River, which runs between the Hudson and East rivers, closer to where the NYPD had been searching, late last week. His name was Garrett Warren and he lived in Harlem.
Warren's family, and the family of 11-year-old Alfa Barrie, have the bodies of their children recovered but find themselves with many lingering questions. How could Barrie's body have gotten so far from Warren's if they went into the water at the same spot at the same time? Could any criminality be at play? The boys never ran off before.
The medical examiner's office determined that Warren died of accidental drowning. It said a manner and cause of death for Barrie are pending further study.
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Law enforcement sources familiar with the matter said a teenager claimed to have seen Warren and Barrie playing near the water's edge at 145th Street the night of May 12, the night they went missing. According to the witness, one of the boys tried to push the other toward the river, and both went into the water. The teenage witness then ran from the area and later spoke with police.
NYPD officials had been trying to identify all the other kids who were with them and want to speak with their classmates.
While some may be alarmed that the boys would be found in separate rivers on opposite sides of Manhattan, a marine expert told NBC New York that it's plausible for a body to drift from the Harlem River to the Hudson River.
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At the Futa Islamic Center on Monday, the Morrisania community gathered to remember Barrie and remember the good times they had with him during his short life.
"This is not something we wanted. We wanted to be able to see him. And then see him in the house, laughing, smiling, helping the mom and being there for her," said his brother Ibrahim Diallo.
An educator from Barrie's school said the 6th grader was "funny, bright, witty, inquisitive and brave." Another member is scheduled to be held at the school, Democracy Prep Middle School, on Tuesday.
Barrie's family told NBC New York that have not yet scheduled a date for the funeral.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.
