Name released of 21-year-old Providence man who drowned at local park

A young local man has been identified as the body found by crews on Tuesday evening.

According to multiple reports, 21-year-old Victor Deleon Mendez from Providence tragically drowned in Lincoln Woods State Park near Sunset Cove.

The incident occurred amid record heat, prompting many residents to seek relief in local ponds.

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management received a report of a missing swimmer at approximately 6:00 p.m., with Mendez last seen swimming outside the designated lifeguard area.

Due to poor visibility, initial searches by bystanders, DEM Environmental Police, and the Lincoln Fire Department were unsuccessful. The Lincoln Fire Department Dive Team recovered his body around 8:10 p.m.

The preliminary investigation suggests this was an accidental drowning, though the exact cause and contributing factors remain under investigation.

Family members are in shock over Mendez’s sudden passing and are in the process of trying to transport him back to his native Guatemala.