By Jeanne Sager
DAMASCUS, PA — October 19, 2004 – A couple of Delaware River fishermen made a tragic discovery Sunday morning.
River guide Mike Padua of Narrowsburg was float fishing with a New Jersey client, Mark Rand, near Callicoon when they noticed something floating in the water.
Upon closer inspection, the fishermen realized they were seeing a woman’s body, partially submerged by the swiftly flowing river current just below the bridge that connects Callicoon to the township of Damascus, Pa.
The duo immediately disembarked from their canoe and ran to call the authorities – having seen the woman on the Pennsylvania side, they summoned the Pa. State Police.
According to Pennsylvania State Trooper Herm Todd, the woman was identified Sunday by a family member as Cynthia Walker, 49.
Walker’s home is a short walk of 400 or 500 feet up River Road in Damascus, Todd said.
As of Sunday afternoon, he had no suspicion of foul play, but an investigation is still under way.
“It’s too early to determine,” Todd said.
An autopsy was completed Monday morning, but results had not been released at presstime.
After speaking with Todd, a shaken Padua and Rand took off in their canoe. Neither chose to speak of the tragedy they witnessed beneath the bridge.