PLYMOUTH (FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) An 18-year-old Brockton man died at the hospital on Friday after diving into Charge Pond in Myles Standish State Forest to help a friend.
Mass. State Police tell FOX 25 Raphael Perez swam out around 100 feet and became distressed. They say people on the shore who were with Perez called 911.
Environmental Police arrived within moments and civilians helped them pull the teen from the water. CPR was performed at the scene. Perez was then taken to Jordan Hospital where he later died.
Family members of Raphael Perez tell FOX 25 the 18-year-old was at the forest with a church group. They say Perez swam out to try and help his 16-year-old friend who was in distress. The unidentified 16-year-old girl was trying to swim out to a fishing boat when she began to struggle. The teen was too distraught to discuss the incident on Saturday.
Those close to Perez say he was working toward getting his G.E.D. and aspired to be a police officer.
The teen's drowning remained under investigation on Saturday.
