The search continues for a 5-year-old boy who reportedly fell from a downtown bridge into the Genesee River on Sunday.
That search for the body of Zy-Jae St. Pierre has become a recovery effort.
Waterflow into the river was restricted Monday at the Mt. Morris Dam to aid in the effort, lowering the river's depth. Officials expected that to provide optimal search conditions by mid-day Tuesday. But even with High Falls brought to a near standstill, the Court Street Dam and RG&E manipulating the gates under the Inner Loop, the search failed to locate the child's body.
RPD's scuba team has been assigned "exclusively" to the recovery effort "for at least the remainder of the week." But "RG&E has informed us that it will take at least 48-hours for the water levels to reset and be in a position to try this again, if the operation dictates," police said in a statement Tuesday night.
Dozens of balloons and stuffed animals now line the railings along either side of the Andrews Street bridge where the boy fell.
His uncle, Isaiah Funderburk, was among those who came to show respects Monday evening at the makeshift memorial.
"“We're grieving. We're all trying to stay strong, and we lost a young king too early," Funderburk said. "He aspired to be just like his father, you know? So he was just filled with love and joy, and curiosity."
Police responded at 4:40 p.m. Sunday to a 911 call reporting that the boy had fallen from the Andrews Street bridge after climbing over the railing.
The child had walked ahead of his mother, who was pushing a stroller, according to Rochester Police Department Capt. Greg Bello. The mother attempted to chase the child but was blocked by fences from following him along the river’s edge.
“This is just a very sad situation,” Bello said. “...I can’t even imagine what she’s going through.”
The location of the fall is about a 50-foot drop into the river and stands a few hundred yards south of High Falls.
A coordinated search among the Rochester Police Department, Rochester Fire Department, New York State Police aviation unit, and the Irondequoit Police Department began Sunday. That search included helicopters, drones and boats.
On Monday morning, a Rochester police search boat could be seen trolling the water in the High Falls gorge. Bello said the city department was the only remaining agency involved in the search, although he emphasized that could change.
The boy was last seen wearing a blue jacket and jeans.
