Body found by paddleboarder off Jacksonville Beach identified as missing swimmer Curtis Newkirk Jr., 19, went missing in the ocean on Sunday
Crews continue to search for 19-year-old Curtis Newkirk Jr. who went missing in the ocean south of the Jacksonville Beach pier Sunday evening. (Copyright 2023 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.)
JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – A body pulled from the surf Wednesday morning by a Jacksonville Beach paddleboarder has been identified as a 19-year-old swimmer who went missing in the ocean south of the Jacksonville Beach pier Sunday evening .
Curtis Newkirk Jr. was swimming with a group Sunday when some of them became distressed, lifeguards said. Everyone else made it to the shore, but Newkirk was nowhere to be found.
A search for Newkirk was unsuccessful until the paddleboarder made the grisly discovery around 10:30 a.m. about 10 blocks north of the Jacksonville Beach Pier.
Police said the paddleboarder found the body , later identified as Newkirk, floating about 100 yards offshore and pulled it to shore.
The Medical Examiner’s Office later confirmed it was Newkirk, and police announced the identification Friday morning.
Copyright 2023 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved.
About the Author Francine Frazier headshot
A Jacksonville native and proud University of North Florida alum, Francine Frazier has been with News4Jax since 2014 after spending nine years at The Florida Times-Union.
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