Body Retrieved from South Jersey Creek

Body Retrieved from South Jersey Creek

5/15/25- According to Camden County Prosecutors Office reports state that the body of a man who fell into Gloucester County's Big Timber Creek was found Wednesday evening.

According to 6abc Action News, authorities identified the man as 36-year-old Valentin Garcia-Gaona.

It was about 1:30 p.m. when he was doing contracted work on a Westfield home. According to officials, he lost his balance on an embankment on Wednesday, plunged into the creek, and never came up again.

According to NBC10 Philadelphia, Garcia-Gaona's body was discovered eight hours into the search, some 20 to 30 yards south of the location where he went into the water.

Garcia-Gaona escaped the embankment along Hunter and Edgewater Avenues. Westville Police Chief Michael Packer said a member of Garcia-Gaona's team walked outside and saw he had fallen in.

"The man attempted to throw Garcia-Gaona a line, but he failed to save him before he disappeared," Packer told NBC10. Following that, a massive search and rescue effort was launched, including dive teams from multiple counties as well as numerous emergency services departments, including police and fire. The recovery of the victim's remains became the main focus of the operation a few hours later.

NBC10 reports that the incident is deemed to be unintentional and not criminal in character.

Big Timber Creek splits into two forks that pass through Camden and Gloucester counties after joining the Delaware River between Westville and Brooklawn.

Rescuers searched through murky waters, which may shift significantly with the tides.

Action News said that Garcia-Gaona owned a pizza place and a lawn care business.