Search Resumes for Second Teen in Budd Lake

Update, 10 a.m. Wednesday: Dive and recovery teams have resumed searching for the body of the second teen in Budd Lake as of 8 a.m. First Assistant Prosecutor Thomas Zelante said the Morris County Prosecutor's Office will release a statement later in the day. Mt. Olive Mayor Rob Greenbaum wrote on his public Facebook page Wednesday morning, "Let's bring the last boy home today."

The search for the second teen, missing since Monday night in the partially frozen waters of Budd Lake, was suspended Tuesday afternoon, Acting Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp said.

Knapp said the New Jersey State Police Marine Service Bureau's six divers spent more than six hours searching in the icy waters on Tuesday.

"The divers who used sonar to assist them in their efforts made a total of eight dives in an attempt to recover the bodies," Knapp said. "The body of one of the young men was recovered."

Mt. Olive Mayor Rob Greenbaum said at 3:08 p.m. Tuesday on his Facebook page that the body of a teen who went missing Monday night was found and pulled from the lake.

"The State Police Dive team recovered one of our lost youth. I am hopeful for the second family that we can bring some closure to this tragic event shortly," the Facebook post read.

According to Knapp, the NJSP will be returning Wednesday morning to continue the recovery efforts. 

"We extend our condolences to the families," Knapp said.

Mt. Olive Police Cpl. Eric Anthony said responders will continue to search and no one was giving up until the recovery operation was completed.

"But I haven't been out on the lake, so I can't say for certain about the timetable," Anthony said.

The area on Sandshore Road near the intersection of Budd Avenue has been an active scene since calls came in at 6:20 p.m. Monday.

Clyde Schimanski Jr., a father whose son—Clyde Schimanski III—went missing around the same time as the calls came into police, told Patch he’s “kind of in shock.”

“My son was a good kid,” Schimanski said. “He would never pull a prank like this. I realized around 6:30 (Monday night) my son was one of the ones (in the lake).”

It has not yet been released if the body recovered Tuesday afternoon was Schimanski's son.

A crew of divers continued to search throughout Monday night into Tuesday, according to Mt. Olive firefighter Doug Fenichel. Additional responders resumed their search at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Fenichel said.

“We hoped it was a hoax,” Fenichel said. “But as information came in, we realized otherwise.”

Families of the teens were held inside Budd Lake Chapel Tuesday and met with authorities and grief counselors.

“The high school is a mess today,” said Budd Lake resident Kim Maleyonok, whose daughter attends Mt. Olive High School. “Teachers are crying; students are crying in the classrooms and in the halls. Clyde (Jr.) is a sweetheart—he’d rip his heart out and give it to you. This is devastating to him.”

Greenbaum, who was at the scene Monday night, wrote on his public Facebook page just before midnight, “Once again I am sad to report that we likely lost two young adults in Mount Olive this evening. May God bless their families and help ease their pain.”

Firefighters and police attempted by boat to reach the teens, who were heard screaming for help in the lake, but were unable to reach them, Fenichel said.

This is an ongoing story. Patch will update as details are made available.