Body Of Missing Claremore Teen Recovered From Pond

A Tulsa County Sheriff's Office dive team recovered the body of a missing Claremore teen Tuesday morning. Crews found Keith Chambers in eight feet of water after a two-and-a-half hour search.

The pond where Chambers was found is a retention pond for a nearby neighborhood, police say. They say Chambers was found in the middle of the pond.

Search teams were out at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, after suspending the search Monday evening out of concern for the divers.

Chambers was last seen around 4 o'clock Sunday afternoon, when he said he was going for a walk. He was only wearing a hoodie, sweat pants, boots, and gloves.

Krislyn Pease shared a class with Chambers last year.

"It's just kind of weird and scary that he'll not be here anymore," she said.

Police discovered footprints in the snow on Monday leading to the pond. They also found a pair of gloves nearby and an area of ice that had been broken. They said the ice on top of the pond was only inch or two thick.

Gale Pease said it's not unusual for neighborhood children to fish in the pond or play in the woods that surrounds it.

12/9/2013 Related Story: Dive Crews, Police Search For Missing Claremore Teen

"My two younger boys play back there, in the woods there close to the pond. They have forts back there, my husband takes them over there to go fishing, and it's just heartbreaking. I couldn't imagine," Gale said.

Chambers disappearance has truly touched the neighborhood. One woman, who asked that we not identify her, placed signs around the neighborhood asking for prayers for the Chambers family.

"Because that's all I can do, and I believe in the power of prayer," she said.

Authorities say this is a sad reminder of just how dangerous a frozen pond can be.

"We just highly urge parents: talk to your children, warn them not to get out on any bodies of water to play," said Assistant Chief Charles Downum, of Claremore Police.

Downum said it's important to use the buddy system for anyone who is around a frozen body of water, and no matter how thick the ice looks, it can be very deceiving.