St. Lucie County - Thursday July 11, 2024: The body of a 16-year-old teen was recovered from the Belcher Canal in Fort Pierce on Wednesday in what St. Lucie County Detectives now believe was a drowning.
SLCSO Deputies were called to the scene about 4 PM. The teen was found in a down-stream section of the canal, not far from where it empties into the Indian River Lagoon. He was found in an area of the canal that runs along side the 1800 block of Old U.S. Highway 1, south of Taylor Creek Commons.
Sheriff Keith Pearson confirmed that the boy has been identified as16-year-old Anthony Paschal. His family contacted law enforcement around 7 PM Wednesday reporting that Anthony had left home around 4 PM and had not returned.
The teen lived within one mile of where he was found. The Sheriff reports that a review of a home security camera shows Anthony leaving home and locking the door behind him. He was alone and did not appear to be in any distress. When his remains were recovered there was no sign of any trauma on his body, and he was wearing the same cloths he left home in.
Sheriff Pearson reports that Detectives are currently treating this incident as a drowning.
