On Wednesday afternoon, silvery star-shaped balloons floated along the edge of the Merrimack River. The breeze carried them as boats full of Lowell police and firemen searched the water below for a missing toddler.
Silvette Koziol, 41, who has lived in Lowell for 23 years, said, “I just hope that they can find this little baby boy… it’s just terrible.”
She stood next to a memorial set up on the river walk behind the Tsongas Centre for UMass Lowell. This is where Azriel Lopez, 4, is thought to have fallen into the water four days before.
A small yellow toy truck with the word “Azriel” written on it in red marker was lying gently among the wilting dandelions below the flying star balloons. Small cars, bright candles, and superhero figures were set up around it as an homage.
Police say Azriel was last seen around 5:45 p.m. on April 19, when someone called 911 to say the kid was in the water by the Western Canal near 300 Arcand Dr. The boy is thought to have been quickly pulled into the river by the water.
The sad news has broken the hearts of people in Lowell, and over the past few days, many people have volunteered to help police with their search.
She said that Koziol and her family had looked in the bushes by the river earlier this week and had come back Wednesday to keep looking.
Around 2 p.m., she and dozens of other locals stood on the walk and watched as at least eight police officers in two boats, one of whom was a diver, searched the water behind the Tsongas Centre for hours. This team was part of the “increased” massive search across the river that Lowell Police had announced that morning.
Koziol said, “Everyone around has been crying because they feel so bad for this little boy.”
“I can’t picture how these poor people… It’s just that I feel bad for them. “It’s awful,” she said.
Koziol said the Merrimack River is dangerous and said it’s part of a bigger problem in Lowell that affects families with kids.
She said, “It’s not the first little boy or girl that has been lost in this river.” She was talking about Anna Mburu, 7, whose body was found in the Merrimack River one day after she went missing in July 2023.
Koziol also talked about Harry Kkonde, who was 3 years old and went missing in June 2022. His body was found in a pond at Rollie’s Farm, which is about 5 miles west of Geana Street. In the same month, Boua DeChhat, a mother, died while trying to save her 6-year-old child who had fallen into the Merrimack River.
Since Koziol is a mother of six, she thinks that many of Lowell’s public places aren’t made with kids and families in mind.
Koziol said, “Unless you’re in the local programmes, there’s nowhere to feel safe around here.”
“Our kids should be able to do more safe activities in the city instead of just coming here with us.” He said, “Anything could happen.”
She also thinks that places like the Merrimack River should be improved to make them safer for everyone.
“At this point, I don’t think anyone should be able to fish in the Merrimack. It’s not safe for kids to be here.” “We need to keep our kids safe,” she said.
