Teen Drowned After Inflatable Capsized in Lagoa de Cima Is Laid to Rest as Rescue Response Faces Scrutiny

Overview

• Fabio William Macedo Flores, 14, was buried a day after firefighters recovered his body from Lagoa de Cima in Campos dos Goytacazes.
• Fishermen spotted a body at about 8:50 a.m. on January 1 and alerted the fire department, which performed the removal and sent it to the IML.
• The teen disappeared on December 30 when an inflatable mattress flipped, throwing him and his father into the water; the father reached shore and survived.
• Family members complained about delayed assistance and a lack of on-site lifeguards, while the fire department said the lagoon is staffed only on weekends.
• Officials said search teams were activated after the call, using divers, an inflatable boat and a jet ski, and they reiterated warnings about inflatables and unsupervised swimming areas.