CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Neighbors in southern Chesterfield are calling for increased safety for the portion of Swift Creek near their homes after a juvenile drowned on Sunday .

Chesterfield County Fire and EMS received a report of a juvenile going into the water on the 2000 block of Swift Bluff Drive in the afternoon on Sunday, April 21. Authorities were told he did not resurface.

Crews arrived on scene at approximately 3:50 p.m. and after a more than three-hour search effort, they found the boy and pronounced him dead at 7:09 p.m.

“It’s pretty dangerous. I mean, we have a granddaughter and as I was talking to some of our neighbors about two weeks ago, we’re talking about that — to see what can do about the situation,” said Nery Santos, a resident who lives nearby.

Santos along with other neighbors told 8News that the incident is disheartening and unfortunate — adding that this is not the first tragedy they’ve seen and heard in the area.

“We have no way to block people from going inside over there and they just go back and forth, and they have seen and heard a lot of activities that are very negative, such as gunshots and stuff like that,” one resident said.

Residents suggest adding street lights along the roads and into the trail leading to the river will provide greater safety.

“It seems very peaceful but the creek can do a lot of damage to anybody like unfortunately and suddenly what happened to the kid yesterday,” Santos said.

Limited details remain in this investigation, as authorities have not released the identity of the boy.

This is a developing story, stay with 8News for updates.

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