Chief coroner investigating drowning death at Sandpoint Beach

The Office of the Chief Coroner of Ontario has confirmed it is investigating the drowning death of a 15-year-old boy at Sandpoint Beach over the holiday weekend.

The office would not provide any further details on the investigation, citing privacy laws.

Ontario coroners investigate roughly 20 per cent of all deaths in the province, according to the office's issues manager, Stephanie Rea. 

"Investigations typically occur when the death is sudden and unexpected," she said.

By law, the coroner must answer five questions in any death investigation:

• Who was the person? 

• What date did they die?

• Where did they die?

• What was the medical cause of death?

• By what means did they die?

There is no pre-determined time limit by which a death investigation is completed, Rea said. 

The Windsor Police Marine Unit responded to the drowning at around 3 p.m. Sunday, according to a news release issued by the force that night.

It said two teenagers were swimming just west of the beach when one went under the water and did not resurface.

The second teen flagged down a boater and called for police assistance.  

OPP divers located and recovered the body of the deceased teen on Monday afternoon in the area of water where he had been swimming.

He is the fourth person to drown while swimming at the beach in the past four years.

His death has led to calls for immediate action to either close the beach completely or significantly enhance its safety.

The western end of the beach is currently fenced off and has signs warning people not to swim there.

The safety concerns are attributed to a steep drop-off into strong currents near the mouth of the Detroit River.