Dad drowns saving his three kids in New Jersey river: police

A father drowned after saving his three children who were struggling in a New Jersey river Wednesday afternoon.

The 42-year-old South River resident saved the lives of his kids — ages 8, 11 and 13 — after they went into the Millstone River and “became distressed,” but tragically never made it out of the water himself, Franklin Township police said.

A bystander dialed 911 shortly before 2:15 p.m. and emergency responders rushed into the water but were unable to find the children’s father.

Medics treated the kids at the scene and they were released without further medical attention, police said.

A dive team from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office pulled the dad’s body from the river more than three hours later, at about 5:30 p.m.

The father’s identity was not immediately released as authorities work to let family members know of his death.

Franklin police are investigating the drowning.

Just last month, two other fathers drowned saving children from different bodies of water in separate incidents on Lake Michigan and Lake Nockamixon.