Teen Suffers Head Injury in Rope Swing Accident in Ocean County, NJ

• A 16-year-old boy was critically injured after falling from a rope swing in Manchester Township
• Emergency responders faced difficult terrain and had to rely on bystanders to reach the scene
• The teen was flown to Jersey Shore University Medical Center for treatment

A teenager was critically injured when he fell from a rope swing and landed on his head in a remote area of Ocean County last week.

The scene unfolded around 4:15 Wednesday afternoon, July 30th, at Hidden Lake in the Whiting section of Manchester Township.

Upon receiving a call about an unconscious 16-year-old in the water, numerous EMT and fire crews and Manchester Township police officers rushed to the scene.

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Terrain Challenges and Access Issues

Officials said due to the remote and challenging terrain leading to the lake, emergency responders assembled at the start of a dirt trail to coordinate their approach. During their response, two police vehicles became stuck, so crews ran to the scene, eventually getting rides from bystanders.

Details of the Rescue

Meanwhile, at the lake, the injured teenager was accompanied by two friends who were holding him above the water's surface.

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Manchester Police described the rescue as follows:

First responders quickly placed the unresponsive juvenile on a backboard and executed a rope-assisted extrication up an estimated 30-foot embankment. The juvenile, assessed at the scene to be in critical condition, was then transported via UTV approximately three miles to the main road.

The teenager was eventually flown to Jersey Shore Medical Center's Trauma Unit where he was intubated and underwent further medical evaluation.

Cause of the Incident

Police said their preliminary investigation indicates that the teen sustained traumatic injuries after falling from a rope swing and landing on his head.

Authorities did not include an update on the teenager's condition in a social media post on Saturday.