JERUSALEM TOWNSHIP, Ohio — An 11-year-old girl went out on a boat with her neighbor one night. She never came back.
Angelique Cunningham vanished from a recreational boat on Lake Erie less than 15 minutes after it left Meinke Marina in Jerusalem Township late on a Wednesday evening.
Days later, searchers found her body near the shoreline close to the same marina. An autopsy confirmed she drowned.
What Happened on the Boat
Angelique boarded the boat with 41-year-old Kristen Gerrie — identified by both family members and the sheriff’s office as the girl’s neighbor and caregiver — and 38-year-old Jonathan Ciha.
Lucas County Sheriff Mike Navarre confirmed that the child was no longer on the vessel within 15 minutes of departure.
Authorities have not publicly said what happened aboard the boat that night.
Around 1:30 a.m., dispatchers received a call from a woman who said she had swum to shore from a boat. That woman was later identified as Gerrie.
A Second Body Found
About nine hours after that call, emergency crews recovered Ciha’s body floating in the water near Meinke Marina.
The Lucas County Coroner’s Office ruled that Ciha drowned. The circumstances and manner of his death remain under investigation.
The boat was later found empty near West Sister Island.
Arrest and Charges
Authorities arrested Gerrie and charged her with one count of child endangerment for creating a substantial risk to health or safety.
She was released after posting a $50,000 surety bond and is scheduled for arraignment.
Investigators have not disclosed what specific evidence led to the arrest beyond the fact that Angelique was in Gerrie’s care when she disappeared.
Do you think the charges reflect the seriousness of what happened? Share your thoughts in the comments.
