Family Holds Vigil for Missing Philadelphia Teen in Ocean City

The family of a Philadelphia teenager who went missing in Ocean City this weekend gathered for a vigil by the 9th Street jetty Tuesday afternoon. 

Tasha Hammond said she would sit out on the beach for as many days as necessary to stand watch for her 14-year-old son Corinthian, according to philly.com.

Family members are staying in local hotels.

Corinthian Hammond, a recent Grover Washington Jr. Middle School graduate, was celebrating with a friend who recently moved from Philadelphia to Ocean City, according to the report.

He was among a group of people who entered the water off 9th Street around 6:45 p.m. Sunday evening, after the lifeguards went off duty.

According to ocnjdaily.com, 10-year-old Jaquil Hunter, Hammond’s cousin, was with Hammond when he got swept away, saying he was hit with a couple of big waves before being caught in a rip tide.

Initially, Hammond, Hunter and one other boy got caught in a rip tide, according to ocnjdaily. Several other people who attempted to save them also got caught in the rip tide.

The Ocean City Beach Patrol quickly responded to the scene and was able to rescue 14 of the 15 people who got caught in the rip tide.

Hammond still had not been located Tuesday evening.

Hammond’s family came to Ocean City from Philadelphia upon learning of the incident.

The Coast Guard suspended the search for Hammond after a 20 hour search, but Ocean City Fire Chief Christopher J. Breunig said local officials will continue a passive search for the next couple of days.

The video attached to this post was posted on nbc40.net.