Emergency rescue crews pulled the body of a father out from a New Jersey canal on Wednesday evening after responding to a distress call.
Franklin Township officials said the 42-year-old South River man had gone into the Millstone River around 2:15 p.m. to help his children get out after becoming "distressed."
"The victim went into the water to help, pulled his children to the shallow water, but struggled to maintain his balance," a press release from police said.
By the time police arrived, they found three children, ages 8, 11, and 13, next to the canal but could not immediately locate their dad. Emergency personnel tended to the children but they did not require additional medical attention, police said.
Approximately three hours later, around 5:30 p.m., the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office dive team recovered the man, later identified by Franklin Township police as Rolando Camarillo-Cholula.
Police said the circumstances surrounding his apparent drowning are under investigation.
