6 THE COURIER SUN • JANUARY 23, 2014 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.couriersun.com COMMIT TO BE FIT ONE-ON-ONE PERSONAL TRAINING GROUP CLASSES AVAILABLE ALL AGES. ALL FITNESS LEVELS. ALL ABILITIES. THE FITNESS CONSULTANT Celebrating Our 24th Anniversary! 208-52 Cross Island Pkwy • Bayside 718.352.9075 2011 st www.tfc-gym.com FREE TRAINING SESSION CALL TODAY of the THE QUEENS QueensCourier.com Place I’M WAITING FOR YOU! OPEN EVERY DAY 365 - DAYS! 10AM - 9PM FRI & SAT TIL 10 PM 25 DAVIS AVENUE PORT WASHINGTON, NY NORTH SHORE ANIMAL LEAGUE AMERICA HAS OVER 300 LOVING PUPPIES, KITTENS, DOGS & CATS! AnimalLeague.org Like us on 516.883.7575 Home of the Mutt-i-gree® facebook.com/TheAnimalLeague File Photo Though mom Vanessa Fontaine held out hope, a spokesperson for the NYC Offi ce of the Chief Medical Examiner confi rmed remains found in College Point last week belong to teen Avonte Oquendo. AVONTE: ‘FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS’ BY ANGY ALTAMIRANO, MAGGIE HAYES, TERENCE M. CULLEN AND CRISTABELLE TUMOLA editorial@queenscourier.com The search for 14-year-old Avonte Oquendo has come to a devastating end for his family, who never gave up hope that he would return home alive. It was confi rmed that remains found washed up along the East River in College Point are those of the missing teen, said Julie Bolcer, a spokesperson for the NYC Offi ce of the Chief Medical Examiner. Avonte was last seen almost four months ago at his Long Island City school. The cause and manner of the death has not yet been determined and are pending future tests, according to Bolcer. After a passerby found an arm and legs Thursday night, January 16 near Powells Cove Boulevard and Endeavor Place, police began to comb the area. Clothing discovered with the remains seemed to indicate that the search for Avonte could soon be over. A pair of size 16 jeans and size 5 ½ Air Jordan sneakers found matched those belonging to Avonte, said David Perecman, the family’s lawyer. Over the weekend, authorities also recovered more body parts, including a skull, jaw, ribs and several vertebrae, as well as a white shirt with gray stripes similar to what Avonte was wearing when he went missing, according to cops. Police said most of the body had been recovered as of Monday, January 20. Avonte’s older brother Daniel Oquendo Jr. took to Instagram Tuesday afternoon to remember the teen. “Rest in peace little brother. This world never deserved you. I will long for the day I can join you in paradise. Forever in our hearts, prayers, and mind. Love You,” he said in the post. Oquendo also took the time to thank all who helped the family search for his brother during the past few months. “The tenacity the world, especially NYC, has shown in regards to fi nding Avonte and spreading awareness has been unmatched in comparison to any other missing child investigation. For that we are forever grateful to you,” he said. At the end of the post, Oquendo asks everyone to respect his family and give them space and time as they mourn Avonte. “Thank you for the prayers. God bless, and may Avonte rest in peace,” he said. Avonte was last seen at the Center Boulevard School at 1-50 51st Avenue in Long Island City around 12:38 p.m. on Oct. 4. The school is just across from the East River. His mother, Vanessa Fontaine, previously told The Courier her son was afraid of the water and thought he “wouldn’t go near it.” There have been confl icting reports on how the Rego Park teen, who could not verbally communicate and was supposed to be supervised at all times, managed to leave the school. Earlier this month, Perecman obtained a Department of Education occurrence report that showed a timeline of what happened before, during and after the boy went missing – but only left larger question marks. Perecman said he will be fi ling a $25 million negligence claim against the city, focused on the Department of Education (DOE), for wrongful death. Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña released a statement Tuesday that said the school community is in mourning and extended her deepest condolences to Avonte’s family. “Over the past several months, I have been among the countless New Yorkers who have been holding our breath in hope that Avonte Oquendo would be found unharmed. And I am among the many who are heartbroken to learn the news today,” said Fariña. “As chancellor, I am determined that we learn every lesson we can from this terrible tragedy and do everything in our power to prevent incidents like this from ever occurring again. Let Avonte remind us how important it is that we continue to look out for one another.”
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