Another Teen Dies At Unauthorized Swimming Hole Known As 'Devil's Hole'

A teenager died Saturday after he was rescued from an unauthorized swimming hole known as the "Devil's Hole" in Cedar Grove, New Jersey, according to police.

The Cedar Grove Police Department said in a statement shared on Twitter that the deceased was an 18-year-old male but did not disclose his identity. The department later posted a correction saying that "the victim was found to be 16 years old, not 18."

According to Cedar Grove police, officers did a routine inspection of the area at around 5:15 p.m. Saturday and found no one swimming at the time.

However, a short time later, a "group of individuals" arrived at the swimming hole, police said.

Someone entered the water despite the posted "No Trespassing" signs and warnings about swimming in the area, according to authorities. The individual never surfaced.

Police, fire and EMS responded at around 6 p.m. and performed life-saving measures on the teenager at the scene and on their way to a hospital, NJ.com reported. The teen was pronounced dead at the hospital, police said.

"Our hearts are with the victim's family and friends as well as our community during this difficult time," the police department said.

The public has repeatedly been warned against swimming at the Devil's Hole, a rocky stretch of the Peckman River that runs deep near Community Park and the West Essex Trail between Pompton Avenue and Bowden Road.

A 2018 Cedar Grove ordinance bans swimming, wading and bathing in public recreation-area waters and waterways, including Devil's Hole.

In 2014, an 18-year-old boy identified as Steven Agyei, of Newark, also drowned there, Northjersey.com reported.

Agyei allegedly jumped off a ledge in the water. His body was reportedly later recovered by the Lyndhurst Fire Department's dive team 15 feet under the surface.

However, this did not deter people from exploring the area.

Some young people have made the Devil's Hole a rite of passage. A 2017 YouTube video showed people jumping off rocks in the area.

In the same year, authorities issued a warning that swimming at Devil's Hole could also be dangerous because the water may be potentially contaminated.