On Sunday, The Post received confirmation from the grieving family that the bodies of the two teenagers who were swept into the ocean at a Queens beach last week have been recovered.
Ushell Chandler, the mother of 16-year-old Elyjha Chandler, who was swept away at Jacob Riis Park in the Rockaways on June 21, confirmed that she positively identified her son from the pictures shown to her at the precinct this morning. “I called the precinct this morning and I went down there and they showed me pictures. I know for sure it’s him,” she said.
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At approximately 9 p.m. on Saturday, Elyjha’s body was found near Beach 114th Street, which is just a short distance away from where he and his lifelong friend Christian Perkins, 17, went missing over a week ago.
A day after the recovery of Elyjha’s body, a body suspected to be Christian’s was discovered close to the Beach 149th Street shoreline.
The Post has confirmed that although the police have not yet officially identified the remains, the father of the deceased is convinced that they belong to his son.
According to Chandler, the pictures he saw confirm that it is indeed him. He couldn’t hold back his emotions and tears welled up in his eyes upon seeing the evidence.
“He said that Elyjah’s mother, Aminatu Noah, had been devastated since hearing the news and insisted on a closed casket,” said the source.
A 25-year-old California firefighter tragically drowned, leaving behind a devastated family still reeling from his father’s sudden death four years prior.
“The situation has had a profound impact on her, and she is struggling to come to terms with it,” expresses the emotional turmoil she is going through.
On the evening of June 21, while hanging out with friends in knee-high water, the teens were hit by a colossal wave that swept them away into the sea.
According to Elyjah’s father, one of the boys informed him that the water felt like a demon approaching them. He also mentioned that his son, Elyjah, was unable to swim.
As the boys were hit by the massive wave and began to struggle in the water, a bystander courageously jumped into the surf to try and rescue them. Despite their best efforts, they were unable to pull the boys to safety.
On June 28, Elyjah, who would have turned 17, decided to accompany his friends to the beach, despite his fear of the ocean, and missed his basketball practice. Unfortunately, the tragedy struck during their outing.
After scouring approximately 600 square miles of the open sea, the Coast Guard eventually called off the search.
Chandler and Noah have been going to the beach almost every day since the disappearance of the boys. They stand vigilantly, hoping to find their bodies.
Chandler expressed a sense of relief after the successful recovery of Elyjah, stating that he feels “a bit better” now that he knows Elyjah is back home.
Chandler expressed that, for him, it is a small step forward, but he also acknowledged that he will not fully recover from this situation.
“It was crucial for me to bring him back,” stated the speaker with emphasis.
