8-year-old drowns at Steel Lake Park

An 8-year-old boy died after an apparent drowning at Steel Lake Park in Federal Way, authorities said, after a search that began Tuesday evening ended with the recovery of his body Wednesday morning. South King Fire said the child was last seen on shore removing his shoes before wading into the water. Police shore cameras showed him briefly at the start of a dock before he moved out of view, according to local reports. The King County Medical Examiner ruled the death an accident and listed drowning as the cause. ### When did the search begin? Tuesday evening, emergency crews were dispatched to Steel Lake after the child was reported missing, according to South King Fire and local news reports. The boy had gone into the water earlier that day, and officials said the circumstances leading up to the drowning have not been released. South King Fire launched what KOMO described as a large-scale rescue response. Rescue swimmers searched the lake for an extended period but were unable to find the child Tuesday night. Ground crews from King County Search and Rescue also searched the surrounding area, according to the reports. ### What did cameras and witnesses show? Police shore cameras showed the child at the start of a dock before he disappeared from view, KOMO reported. Officials also said he had been seen removing his shoes on shore before entering the water. South King Fire told KING 5 the child was last seen wading into Steel Lake before vanishing. Authorities have not said whether anyone was in the water with him or how long passed before he was reported missing. ### Who recovered the boy’s body? Wednesday morning, dive teams from the King County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit recovered the child’s body from the lake, according to FOX 13 Seattle. South King Fire and other mutual-aid responders were also involved in the search effort. A South King Fire spokesperson told KING 5 that the outcome was “heartbreaking” and offered condolences to the family and loved ones. Officials have withheld the child’s identity to respect the family’s privacy, according to the same report. ### What have officials said about the cause of death? The King County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the drowning on Wednesday and ruled the death an accident, FOX 13 Seattle reported. KOMO separately reported that the medical examiner identified the child as an 8-year-old Federal Way boy and determined that drowning was the cause of death. Federal Way police have not released additional details about what led to the drowning. FOX 13 reported that the circumstances surrounding the boy’s disappearance remain unknown. ### Which agencies are involved now? The Federal Way Police Department is leading the investigation, according to FOX 13 and KOMO. South King Fire responded to the initial emergency, while the King County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit handled the recovery. King County Search and Rescue also participated in the operation, KOMO and KING 5 reported. Officials thanked mutual-aid partners, rescue swimmers and search crews after the recovery, KOMO said. ### What happens next in the case? Federal Way police are continuing to investigate the incident, and officials have said few details are being released while that work continues. The King County Medical Examiner has already ruled the death an accident, but police and fire officials have not publicly provided a fuller timeline. The next public updates are likely to come from the Federal Way Police Department, South King Fire or the King County Medical Examiner’s Office as the investigation proceeds.