Crime & Safety

Police ID Brick Woman Who Died in Kayak Accident Friday Night

Searchers found 49-year-old Herbertsville resident near Manasquan River Yacht Club

Police on Saturday identified the woman who died when her kayak overturned in the Manasquan River Friday night as Robin Hoffarth, 49, of North Riverside Drive in Brick's Herbertsville section.

Hoffarth died after the kayak in which she was riding capsized on the river. She was riding by herself in the yellow kayak, but was out on the water with a friend, identified as Barbara Bartolomei, 44, also of North Riverside Drive, who was paddling her own kayak, Brick Police Capt. John Rein said.

Both kayaks, at some point, overturned, Rein said. The pair began their outing on the water while it was still light out, but experienced problems returning to shore. Brick Police were notified of the submersion at approximately 10:47 p.m. Friday, said Rein.

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Bartholomew was able to swim back to shore, but Hoffarth was not. A large number of emergency responders gathered at the Manasquan River Club marina where they set up a staging area

Marine units from the Brick Township Police Department, New Jersey State Police and the U.S. Coast Guard responded and began searching the area. Additionally, a New Jersey State Police helicopter responded to the area and assisted in the search.

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Divers from Brick Township Underwater Recovery Unit, Brielle, Manasquan and Squankum Dive Teams also were dispatched and responded. The Herbertsville, Laurelton and Pioneer Hose Fire companies responded to the scene as well.

At approximately 11:23 p.m. fire department personnel located the overturned yellow kayak approximately 200 yards offshore with no one around it, Rein said. Divers entered the water at approximately 12:04 a.m. and, at approximately 12:41 a.m., divers from the Brick Township Underwater recovery team located the woman’s body in the area of the Manasquan River Yacht Club.

The State Police's Marine Services Bureau is now in charge of the investigation into the incident.

The apparent drowning occurred just hours after a man's body was off Ship Bottom, making it Ocean County's second boating-related death of the holiday weekend.


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