Cries Of Distress Reported, But Search Finds No Problem

By Andrew Gorosko

After receiving a report Tuesday afternoon that a woman’s cries of distress had been heard originating from the Lake Zoar shoreline of Lower Paugussett State Forest in Sandy Hook, town emergency crews mobilized and conducted a lake-based and land-based search of the area to find the problem.

But a thorough search of the area turned up no problem, according to police Sergeant Aaron Bahamonde.

Two lifeguards at the Lake Zoar beach of Jackson Cove Park in Oxford had heard those cries and then swam across the very broad river to the Sandy Hook shoreline in seeking to find the problem,  but found none.

The lifeguards then reported the incident to state police at Troop A in Southbury, who in turn relayed that report to Newtown police. The Oxford lifeguards reportedly had seen some shadowy figures walking along the Sandy Hook shoreline.

Lake Zoar, which is an impoundment on the Housatonic River, is more than 200 yards wide in that area.

Newtown police responded to the town-owned Eichler’s Cove Marina on Lake Zoar, where they received a boat ride upriver to Jackson Cove to speak to the lifeguard who had heard the cries of distress.

At 12:39 pm, Newtown Underwater Search and Rescue (NUSAR) was dispatched to Eichler’s Cove on the call. NUSAR then traveled upriver about 7,500 feet in its boat accompanied by police Officer Todd Dingee and by NUSAR bloodhound search dog, Fergus, in seeking any problems along the shoreline.

The bloodhound’s keen sense of smell is especially useful in detecting the scents of humans in searches, said NUSAR Chief Mike McCarthy.

Karl Sieling of Sea Tow, a marine towing and salvage company, shadowed NUSAR in his boat on the waterborne search.

At 1:09 pm, the Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company was dispatched to the state forest to conduct a land-based search of the area for any problem. Two state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) conservation officers also aided in the search on land.

The densely-wooded evergreen state forest holds very steep terrain along its Lake Zoar shoreline there, making foot travel through the area difficult.

NUSAR members went ashore at the area where a problem was reported. There they met Sandy Hook firefighters who were searching on foot.

Ten Sandy Hook firefighters responded to the call, said Sandy Hook Fire Chief Bill Halstead. Firefighters used their all-terrain vehicle during the incident. No one was found in distress, nor was any evidence of a problem found, he said.  

Sgt Bahamonde said that a thorough search of the area indicated that the person who had screamed had left the area. No suspicious vehicles were found in the area, he said. No missing persons complaints pertained to the incident, he said.

The report that emergency personnel investigated appeared to be a legitimate complaint, but no problem was found, Sgt Bahamonde said.