A 14-year-old baseball prospect from the Dominican Republic has tragically drowned in a lagoon near one of the nation’s top academies.
The body of Gustavo Talmare, who made headlines for hitting four home runs to earn the MVP title at the 2024 Caribbean Kids Series, was discovered approximately 40 minutes away from the academy on Saturday, as reported by Diaro Libre.
Talmare went missing after he went swimming at Laguna del Toro in Guerra on Friday night; rescue teams were deployed early the next morning.
Details surrounding the incident are still unclear, and a police investigation is currently underway.
“I was devastated to learn about it,” expressed Amauris Nina, a prominent youth coach and owner of the academy. “The body was recovered by a rescue group, but honestly, I still can’t make sense of what happened. Authorities are looking into it.”
Having lived at the academy for only two months, Talmare was one of three students from a group of five. Reports indicate he struggled in the water after leaving the facility without permission to swim in the lagoon.
According to Deultimominuto.com, Talmare reportedly fell into the lagoon while trying to reach for something.
Attempts by his companions to rescue him were unsuccessful, as he lost consciousness and was unable to swim to safety.
His death has been ruled as “suffocation by immersion,” or drowning.
His parents are seeking further information about the circumstances of his death.
Talmare’s mother, Maria Ester Pimentel, criticized the academy’s version of events, insisting her son was not “naughty” and didn’t break any rules by leaving on his own.
She also emphasized that the family had taught him how to swim.
Described as someone with tremendous potential, Talmare had shown significant improvement over the past year, according to scouts who spoke with Diario Libre.
Nina characterized Talmare as a “very disciplined and obedient” athlete.
