NEWS

12-year-old's death confirmed as drowning

No services planned at this time, obituary says

John Doyle
jdoyle@seacoastonline.com
Nathaniel Boily [Courtesy]

DOVER — The state medical examiner confirmed Tuesday 12-year-old Nathaniel Boily of Dover died of an accidental drowning last week.

Police said based on the investigation, they believe Boily was alone at the time he fell into the Bellamy River, and there were no witnesses to the drowning.

According to his obituary, Boily was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, and was a month shy of his 13th birthday at the time of the tragedy. There are no services scheduled at this time, the obituary states.

Boily's family has requested privacy while they deal with their loss, police said.

Boily, who lived on Mill Street, had been last seen Thursday afternoon leaving Dover Middle School at the end of the school day, police said. Family members contacted Dover police when he did not return home Thursday afternoon.

A police investigation led to the Bellamy River in the area of Back River Road and Central Avenue in Dover. Evidence in the area indicated Boily had fallen through the ice, police said. Mill Street runs parallel to the Bellamy River in that area.

School counselors and counselors from other area agencies were made available to Dover Middle School students on Monday. Dover School District Superintendent Dr. William Harbron said the number of counselors available has been reduced on Tuesday, though counseling will continue to be provided. He said the school continues to monitor students who were close to Boily, and said counseling and other resources will be available to students as long as they need it.