Two teen stepbrothers died holding one another after they fell off a 30-ft cliff into a Maine river late Sunday.
Tavayne Weir, 17, and D’Andre Graham, 16, told their parents they were headed to the Springvale Recreational Area that evening but did not return by 10 p.m.
The search for the pair started in the darkness as crews combed through swimming areas and trails around the Mousam River.
The bodies of the teens were found underwater after an hour-and-half of search.
“Using flashlights and high-intensity lights, they were able to locate them below the water,” said Sanford Police Department Major Matthew Gagne.
“We don’t know if they were jumping or just swimming because we don’t know exactly what time they went in,”
“We assume they were probably by themselves as well because we had no calls from that area that anybody was in distress or actively drowning.”
Sanford Superintendent of Schools expressed his condolences to the Sanford High School students’ family.
A GoFundMe page described the teens as “more than stepbrothers.
“Growing up in Jamaica, they did everything together, from playing basketball and riding bikes to gaming,”
“They showed incredible courage and loyalty, holding on to each other until the very end, demonstrating the deep bond they shared.”
