BEVERLY SHORES | The body of DaVante Jackson was recovered at 10:22 a.m. Wednesday, three days after the Chicago Heights 14-year-old apparently drowned while swimming in strong currents at Kemil Beach.

Gene Davis, a conservation officer with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, reported that calls began coming in at about 10 a.m. that an object could be seen 100 yards offshore about a quarter-mile east of where the search began at Kemil Beach. Because of spotty cell phone coverage, it took several calls before the location could be pinpointed.

Two DNR patrol boats that were searching in the area arrived at the location and took the body into custody. Davis said Jackson was positively identified and was still in the black tank top and dark blue swim trunks he was wearing when he disappeared while swimming with a group Sunday afternoon.

The Porter County Coroner's office was notified and took possession of the body. An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death.

Davis said the recovery was a relief for DNR officers. "Until we can get our part done, it's hard for the family to do what they need to do to get past this," he said.

Since the time of Jackson's disappearance Sunday, Davis said, hundreds of man hours from federal, state, county and local agencies went into the search, along with the use of helicopters, boats, scuba equipment, ATVs and other resources.

Chanell Davis, Jackson's mother, said via phone from her Chicago Heights home that she was relieved they found her son and that the family has closure.

"He's OK now," she said. "He not lost no more ... He's at peace now. He's all right. He's OK now."

She was with her other children on Wednesday morning.

"I'm OK" she said. "Everybody's OK."