A body found near the Lake Erie shoreline on Sunday is believed to be that of 11 year old Angelique Cunningham, the Toledo girl who vanished during a boat outing earlier in the week.
Authorities said the discovery was made around 11:40 a.m. on July 5 in the water near Dyke Road in Jerusalem Township, in the same area crews had been combing since the girl disappeared. Officials have not formally confirmed the identity, and that determination will come only after the coroner completes an autopsy.
How the Case Began
Angelique went out on Lake Erie’s western basin on Wednesday night with her neighbor, 41 year old Kristen Gerrie, and 38 year old Jonathan Ciha.
The three left from Meinke Marina in Jerusalem Township, but according to investigators, the young girl vanished from the boat in less than 15 minutes.
A few key details from the timeline:
- Wednesday night: Angelique disappears from the boat while under Gerrie’s care.
- Thursday morning: A passing boater spots Ciha’s body in the water and calls 911.
- Thursday afternoon: The Coast Guard locates the abandoned boat near West Sister Island.
- Friday: Gerrie is arrested and charged with child endangerment; the search for Angelique shifts from rescue to recovery.
- Sunday: A girl’s body is found near the shoreline.
Gerrie reportedly swam to shore after the incident and was later questioned by detectives. She remains behind bars on 50,000 dollars bond. A deputy coroner has said Ciha’s death was caused by drowning, though the full circumstances are still under investigation.
Community Waits for Answers
Investigators have described Gerrie in different ways throughout the case, with some officials calling her a babysitter and family members describing her simply as a neighbor. Her exact relationship to Ciha has not been made clear, and the sheriff’s office has not said whether anyone is considered a suspect in his death.
The Toledo Fire and Rescue Department thanked the public for its patience during the search effort, asking residents to continue giving emergency crews room to work as the investigation moves forward.
For now, officials are asking the public to be patient while the coroner works to confirm whether the body pulled from the water is Angelique. Family members have already begun grieving publicly, though police have stressed that no official identification has been made.
This remains a developing story and will be updated as new details emerge from the Lucas County Sheriff’s Office and the coroner’s report.
