MILTON, Mass. — An 18-year-old recent high school graduate drowned Saturday evening while swimming with friends at Houghton’s Pond, just eleven days after walking across the stage to receive his diploma.
Kayron Garcia Costa of Quincy went underwater around 7 p.m. on June 20 and never resurfaced, according to the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. He had been swimming with a group of classmates from Quincy High School, all of whom had graduated together on June 9.
Search crews responded quickly once Costa was reported missing in the water. The Massachusetts State Police Underwater Recovery Team and Marine Unit, along with the Milton Fire Department and other local emergency crews, worked to locate him in the pond. Once he was found, he was pulled from the water and rushed to a hospital in Boston.
Despite the efforts of first responders and medical staff, Costa could not be saved. He was pronounced dead at the hospital on Sunday, June 21, the District Attorney’s office confirmed.
State police detectives are now investigating the circumstances surrounding his drowning, though no foul play is suspected at this time.
A School Community in Mourning
The news of Costa’s death has hit Quincy High School especially hard, coming so soon after the Class of 2026 celebrated its graduation.
Principal Keith Ford wrote a letter to families describing the painful timing of the loss, noting that Costa had been at the pond with the very friends he had just graduated alongside.
In a social media post, Ford remembered Costa fondly, calling him “an awesome student” who had earned the respect of both classmates and teachers through his character. Ford recalled that Costa had once received a Recognition of Effort Award and that during a lunch they shared, the teen spoke about how much his time at Quincy High School meant to him and to his family.
“Kayron, thank you for allowing us to get to know you during your time at QHS,” Ford wrote. “To everyone who knew Kayron, may his legacy live on.”
Ford closed his message with words of comfort for the grieving community, asking for unity and peace in the wake of the tragedy. “My prayers go out to his family during this difficult time,” he wrote. “We ask for peace that passes all understanding. As a school community, let us come together in unity to honor the life of Kayron Garcia Costa. May he rest in peace!”
Support Offered to Students
In response to the tragedy, school officials announced that grief counselors and crisis support staff would be made available to students. Quincy High School and the nearby Southwest Middle School both planned to have counselors on hand to help students process the loss of their friend and classmate.
The sudden death has left the close-knit Class of 2026 grappling with grief at what should have been a celebratory time, as many of Costa’s friends were the same people who had stood beside him at graduation just days earlier.
Officials have not released further details about what led to the drowning, and the investigation by Norfolk County authorities remains ongoing. Houghton’s Pond, a popular swimming spot in the Boston area, has seen other safety concerns in past summers, though authorities have not indicated whether any additional safety measures will be considered following this incident.
This is a developing story, and further updates are expected as the investigation continues.
