Neighbor arrested in connection with 11-year-old girl found dead after vanishing from boat in Lake Erie

By JAMES GORDON, US NEWS REPORTER Published: 01:57, 6 July 2026 | Updated: 01:57, 6 July 2026 A woman has been arrested after an 11-year-old girl disappeared during a boat trip on Lake Erie, as authorities confirmed a body found along the shoreline is believed to be the missing child. Kristen Gerrie, 41, of Toledo, Ohio, was taken into custody on Friday and charged with one count of endangering children in connection with the disappearance of Angelique Cunningham, according to the Lucas County Sheriff's Office. Authorities announced on Sunday that a young girl's body was discovered at about 11:40am near the Lake Erie shoreline.  Officials had not formally identified the body at the time of the announcement, but the discovery came after an extensive search for Angelique. According to booking records reviewed by People, Gerrie is being held on a $50,000 bond. Lucas County Sheriff Michael J. Navarre told 13 Action News that Angelique was in Gerrie's care when she disappeared less than 15 minutes after the boat left Meinke Marina in Jerusalem Township on the evening of July 1. Family members told the station that Gerrie was the girl's neighbor, although authorities have also described her as the child's caretaker or babysitter. Investigators said Angelique had been on a recreational boat ride with Gerrie and 38-year-old Jonathan Ciha. Kristen Gerrie, 41, of Toledo, Ohio, was arrested and charged with one count of endangering children in connection with Angelique Cunningham's disappearance Authorities said 11-year-old Angelique Cunningham was in Gerrie's care when she disappeared from a boat on Lake Erie less than 15 minutes after it left Meinke Marina Angelique was reported missing by her mother at about 5:30am on Thursday after failing to return from the boat trip Authorities said Gerrie later reported swimming ashore from the boat and was questioned by investigators after reaching land. Ciha, who authorities said owned the boat, was found dead in the water the following morning.  The Lucas County Coroner's Office believes he drowned, although the circumstances and manner of his death remain under investigation. The boat was later recovered near West Sister Island. As search efforts continued, Toledo Fire and Rescue announced that the mission had transitioned from a rescue operation to a recovery effort after crews concluded Angelique was unlikely to be found alive. 'Our thoughts remain with the family and everyone affected by this tragedy,' Toledo Fire and Rescue said in a statement.  'We ask the public to continue giving emergency crews the space needed to conduct this difficult operation.' Sheriff Navarre has said investigators believe all incidents are connected. Capt. Bobby Chromik of the Lucas County Sheriff's Office told 13 Action News that investigators were initially focused on locating Angelique. Authorities said the boat departed from Meinke Marina in Jerusalem Township shortly before Angelique Cunningham disappeared More than a dozen local, state and federal agencies have joined the search for Angelique Cunningham across the western basin of Lake Erie A body believed to be that of Angelique was found near the Lake Erie shoreline on Sunday morning following a multi-day search. She is pictured with her aunt Gerrie is being held in the Lucas County jail on a $50,000 bond, according to booking records  Jonathan Ciha, who investigators said owned the boat, was found dead in Lake Erie the morning after the trip 'I don't think anybody's being considered a suspect, per se,' Chromik said. 'I think right now what we're looking at is this is probably a horrific accident in terms of what happened to this gentleman. But our primary focus right now is to find the 11-year-old to make sure she's safe.' An aunt of Angelique posted on Facebook a heartbreaking message: 'I tried Angelique I’m so sorry baby. I love you so much.'  The search has involved Toledo Fire and Rescue, the Lucas County Sheriff's Office, the US Coast Guard, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Jerusalem Township Fire & Rescue and Oregon Fire & Rescue. The comments below have not been moderated. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. 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