Jersey Shore teacher found dead in Ohio River

PITTSBURGH — Police are investigating the circumstances leading to the death of an Ocean County middle school teacher.

The body of Drew Camoosa, 48, from Little Egg Harbor was pulled from the Ohio River near the Emsworth Locks and Dams, near Pittsburgh, around 10:30 a.m. Monday after being spotted face down in the river, according to Allegheny County Police. Camoosa was pronounced dead at the scene.

A statement from Southern Regional School District superintendent Craig Henry said Camoosa, married with children, had been on medical leave since January 2018. Camoosa had been a social studies and special education teacher at Southern Regional Middle School for 22 years, according to Henry.

Counseling was available for students and staff at the school.

A post on the RBC Dearly Departed Facebook page said he was a member of the Red Bank Catholic graduating class of 1989.

Katie Herring identified herself as Camoosa's wife in a Facebook post. "He was my husband, a father, a son, and brother. He is at peace and will suffer no more. I love you bunger," she wrote.

Unnamed police sources told CBS Pittsburgh that Camoosa's family believed him to be suicidal and had reported him as missing. Port Authority Police in Pittsburgh previously spotted Camoosa walking along railroad tracks, and he was involuntarily committed to the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic for a 72-hour hold. Fourteen hours after being taken to the facility, he was found in the river.

Allegheny Police asked anyone with information concerning this incident to call their tipline at 1-833-ALL-TIPS (1-833-255-8477).

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ.

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