Alfa Barrie Cause of Death, 11, Was Found Dead in the Hudson River on Saturday

The family of an 11-year-old boy who vanished along with his friend in New York City waterways this month is desperately searching for answers. Alfa Barrie, a sixth grader at Democracy Prep Charter School in Harlem, was described as a cheerful young man with ambitions of becoming an engineer. On Tuesday evening, his family and friends gathered for the second of two memorials to remember him.

The body found on Saturday in the Hudson River near Riverside Drive and 102nd Street in Manhattan was identified by a family member as that of missing Bronx boy, Alfa Ousmane Barrie. The discovery comes days after the body of 13-year-old Garrett Warren was pulled from the Harlem River, NBC News reports. Authorities have not disclosed a cause of death for either boy, but they say no foul play is suspected.

Despite their age difference, the two boys were seen together in Harlem on May 12 and May 13, according to police records. Their disappearances were reported shortly afterward, and their bodies were discovered in the waterways on opposite sides of Manhattan over two weeks apart, more than two miles apart from each other.

While investigators do not believe foul play is involved, there are many unanswered questions for the families of both boys. The Barrie and Warren families are in disbelief over how their children ended up in the treacherous waters of the Hudson River, which separates Manhattan from the Bronx. Their sons were not the type to go off on their own, let alone for a dangerous adventure on the waterfront. “Alfa was smart and never hung out with people who did things like that,” said Ibrahim Diallo, the brother of Alfa Barrie.

He says that in the pictures he and other relatives have of their beloved son, he can see an innocence in him that was taken away. “He was very loving and kind to everyone, and he was a happy guy,” Diallo tells NBC News. He adds that his brother loved math and engineering and wasn’t the type to run off for a risky adventure.

The New York City Police Department’s Harbor Unit is investigating the circumstances of both boys’ deaths. “The investigation continues and no foul play is being suspected at this time,” a police statement reads.

The tragedy has sparked outrage from parents and others in the community who are asking for more transparency from the city government. They want the NYPD to share more details about the case, including what steps were taken in the search for the boys. Additionally, they are calling for an independent autopsy to be conducted. The NYPD has declined to comment on the request. However, the mayor of the city of New York has said that he supports it. The autopsy for Alfa is expected to be completed on Monday, and authorities hope the results will provide more insight into what happened to him. The family of his friend, Garrett, has also reportedly requested an independent autopsy.