Teen Boy Who Fell Into Niagara During Fishing Trip With Dad Found Dead

A 15-year-old boy who went missing last week during a fishing trip with his father has been found dead, authorities confirmed.

Kameron Stenzel went missing on Oct.11 after he slipped and fell into the Niagara River during a fishing trip with his father.

On Thursday, Oct. 14, the search for the missing teen came to a devastating end when his lifeless body was located near Niagara-on-the-Lake, New York State Police confirmed.

"On October 11, Kameron was fishing with his father down in the Niagara Gorge," New York State Park Police Detective Sergeant Brian Nisbet told NBC station WGRZ.

"Kameron's fishing pole, apparently the line got tangled, and he was attempting to retrieve it when he slipped into the lower Niagara River and was swept downstream."

"His father tried to help him but was not able to rescue him," Nisbet continued.

The positive identification of the teenager's body came at the same time when his family and friends had gathered for a candlelight vigil at Lewiston Landing.

"He was my gentle giant," Stenzel’s mother Colleen Carey said. "He was bigger than me, built like a football player. He did not deserve this."

The devastated mother said Carey said Stenzel’s dad is struggling to cope with what happened.

"I am being strong for me and him," she said.

NYS Parks Police Major Clyde Doty said in a statement: "Everyone here our hearts are broken. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family."

"I can't imagine what the father is going through. You take your son out on a fishing trip and it ends in tragedy."

"It's a terrible, terrible accident," Doty said.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help raise money to cover funeral expenses for the family.

"I am trying to raise money to help my younger brother Scott pay for funeral expenses for his son Kameron," the organizer wrote on the page. "Any donations for the funeral would help."

On Monday, Stenzel's father thanked "everyone that shared, donated or sent a kind word" saying they were heroes to him.

"It's those small actions that give me strength and some peace through this horrible tragedy," he wrote.