A 61-year-old resident of Concord, Dominica, has passed away following an apparent drowning incident that unfolded over the weekend, local law enforcement has officially confirmed.
Identified as Joseph Anatole, who was widely known by the nickname “Joe Black” and originally from Castle Bruce, the victim had been living in Concord at the time of the incident.
In an official statement from the police force, Acting Superintendent Fixton Henderson, the Public Relations Officer for the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (CDPF), outlined the timeline of the response. Officers assigned to the Marigot Police Station were dispatched to the scene just after 5:00 PM local time on Saturday, June 27, 2026, after receiving an emergency report that Anatole had been found unresponsive in the river running behind his home.
First responders immediately transported the unresponsive man to the nearby Marigot Hospital, where a attending physician officially pronounced him dead later the same evening.
To fully clarify the sequence of events that led to Anatole’s death, the CDPF has opened a formal investigation into the incident.
Following the incident, Anatole’s remains have been transferred to a local funeral home, where they will be held until a post-mortem autopsy can be conducted to confirm the exact cause of death.
The CDPF has extended its heartfelt sympathies to Anatole’s family, close friends, and all loved ones as they navigate this devastating loss.