An autopsy Friday of Brian Washington Jr., the 25-year-old Ithaca man whose body was discovered in Cayuga Lake Thursday morning, found no evidence of “foul play” surrounding his death, according to an Ithaca Police Department press release.
The cause of Washington’s death was ruled as drowning, according to the IPD. The IPD statement added that the results of toxicology testing are pending and will not be available for two weeks.
Washington was reported missing to the Ithaca Police Department on Jan. 30, according to an IPD press release. A missing person investigation was ongoing when his body was discovered.
Several coaches from the Cornell rowing team helped recover Washington’s body, which they discovered during practice Thursday morning, according to Todd Kennett ’91, head coach of the men’s heavyweight rowing team.
An IPD statement added that the crew team had been practicing when it found Washington’s body “floating” in the water.
Kennett said that Washington’s body, which was discovered before 8:45 a.m. and brought to the entrance of the Cayuga Inlet, had “been there for a while.”
“Only the coaches saw it … we sent all the crews away before they knew what was happening,” Kennett said.
The Ithaca Fire Department removed Washington’s body near the entrance to the marina at Allan H. Treman State Marine Park shortly before 9:30 a.m., according to The Ithaca Journal.
With the assistance of the Ithaca fire Department and Bangs Ambulance the body was recovered and transported to Onondaga County for an autopsy, according to an IPD press release.
Original Author: Liz Camuti