Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


A man from Fountain City, Indiana drowned Sunday evening while swimming with friends in Sears Lake in Milford Township.

Police say 18-year-old Joshua David Auxier and two friends were attempting to reach a floating swimming platform about 25 feet from the shoreline when he went under water and did not resurface shortly after 8pm Sunday.

Milford Police requested the assistance of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team and the Milford Fire Department on the report of a possible drowning. Divers found Auxier in approximately 15 feet of water. He was taken to the shore where CPR was started but was unsuccessful. Auxier was pronounced dead at the scene.

An autopsy at the Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office on Monday determined the cause of death was accidental drowning.