Teen With Autism Drowns in Oakland's Lake Temescal

A Concord 19-year-old  with autism drowned Thursday night after he lost his footing on a trail and fell into Oakland’s Lake Temescal, authorities said.

Oakland Sgt. Terrence Cotcher said the teen, who was walking with his older sister, fell about 7 p.m. His sister tried to rescue him, but the pair both began having trouble, he said. A passerby saw what was going on and ending up saving the sister, Cotcher said.

East Bay Regional Park Park officers and firefighters arrived and pulled him out of the water and performed CPR, police said. But he was pronounced dead later at the hospital.

The lake has been closed all summer because of a toxic algae bloom, and has yellow tape closing off passage into the water.
 

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