Juwaan Austin, who was reported missing last week, has been found deceased in Weequahic Park, authorities announced.
Disappearance
Austin, 25, was last seen on January 16, prompting an appeal from Newark Public Safety urging the public’s assistance in locating him.
Austin was known to frequent the area of Frelinghuysen Avenue and Dayton Street.
He was reported to be driving a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu with New Jersey license plate C31RSF.
According to officials, the vehicle was last seen at approximately 9:33 a.m., January 16, on Washington Avenue and Cleveland Street in Belleville.
Juwaan Austin found deceased
Austin’s body was discovered around 10:30 a.m. on the golf course side of the lake within the park’s boundaries, where police were alerted to an unconscious person, reports RLS Media.
First responders, upon arrival, pronounced Austin dead at the scene.
The investigation, led by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office and the Sheriff’s Department, is now underway to determine the circumstances leading to his untimely death.
According to the outlet, officials are exploring the possibility that Austin might have been pursued, leading him to enter the park and jump into the lake.
However, authorities have not confirmed nor reported a police foot pursuit.
It is believed that Austin managed to exit the lake but succumbed to hyperthermia due to the frigid overnight temperatures that plummeted below zero.
The case remains under investigation.
