CARROLLTON TOWNSHIP, MI — A devastating tragedy unfolded Saturday evening when a 15-year-old boy drowned during a massive party in Carrollton Township, near Saginaw. The teen’s body was recovered from a murky backyard swimming pool around 7:15 p.m., according to authorities.
The incident occurred at a residence in the 900 block of Atlanta Street, where a party—reportedly attended by over 100 juveniles—had been underway. Earlier in the evening, Carrollton Township Police responded to complaints of loud music and illegally parked vehicles. The homeowner initially agreed to shut the party down by sunset, but events quickly spiraled into tragedy.
Roughly 45 minutes after the initial police visit, someone called 911 to report that a teen had entered the pool and failed to resurface. When officers returned, they found a chaotic scene—loud music, hundreds of teenagers, and a general lack of awareness or concern regarding the missing boy.
Police Chief Christopher Kellett described the situation as “chaotic and troubling,” noting that officers were met with conflicting accounts and had difficulty identifying the original 911 caller. The murky water in the pool, which likely hadn’t been treated for the season, made it nearly impossible to see the bottom.
A local Carrollton Township firefighter, who lives nearby, arrived at the scene nearly simultaneously with officers. Without hesitation, he entered the pool and located the boy’s body submerged in about 12 feet of water. Despite attempts at CPR and life-saving measures, the teen was pronounced dead at the scene.
An autopsy is scheduled to determine the cause and timeline of the drowning. Authorities are actively seeking information from attendees and urge anyone with details about what happened to come forward.
In the aftermath, tensions flared. As officers shut down the party, several fights and disorderly incidents broke out. Investigators later discovered the event had been covertly advertised on social media, part of a growing trend where party organizers reveal the location via text message on the day of the event to avoid early detection by law enforcement.
“This party was never safe,” Chief Kellett said. “The pool was not ready for use, and the number of juveniles involved made the situation extremely volatile. This young man’s life was lost unnecessarily.”
The community is now grappling with the heartbreak of losing a child, while authorities continue their investigation into how such a tragedy could have happened—and how to prevent another.
