Body Found Near Lake Erie Believed to Be Missing Toledo Girl, 11
Authorities recovered the body of a young girl near the Lake Erie shoreline on Sunday, in what they believe is the remains of 11-year-old Angelique Cunningham of Toledo. The girl had been missing since a boat trip earlier last week, according to multiple local news outlets.
The Lucas County Sheriff's Office said the body was found near Dyke Road, close to the lake's edge. Formal identification will be made by the coroner, but family members have already identified the victim as Angelique, who disappeared on July 2 after leaving Meinke Marina aboard a boat.
The case began when dispatchers received a report of a body in the water near Meinke Marina early on July 2. Sheriff Mike Navarre said the body initially recovered appeared to belong to the boat's owner, later identified as Jonathan Ciha, whose body was found Thursday morning. A deputy coroner determined Ciha drowned, though circumstances remain under investigation.
According to investigators, Angelique was on the boat with Kristen Gerrie, 41, who was described as a neighbor and babysitter, along with Ciha. The boat was later found unoccupied near West Sister Island. Gerrie swam to shore and contacted family, who then notified police. She was arrested on July 3 and charged with two counts of endangering children. She is being held on a $50,000 bond.
Search efforts transitioned from rescue to recovery on Friday after officials determined Angelique was unlikely to be found alive. Toledo Fire Chief Allison Armstrong said crews had exhausted all available resources. The discovery of the girl's body on Sunday brings a somber end to the weeklong search that stretched across Lake Erie.
The incident has left the Toledo community in mourning and raised questions about the events that unfolded on the water. Officials have not yet named any suspects beyond Gerrie, and the investigation is ongoing. The sheriff's office emphasized that while the case is being treated as a likely accident regarding Ciha's death, the primary focus remains on understanding what led to Angelique's disappearance.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.