Apparent suicide at Vannie lake

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Police found former Riverdale resident Bernard “Barney” Madden dead in Van Cortlandt Lake on July 23 at 8:25 p.m. after an apparent suicide. 

Mr. Madden, 76, used to live at West 238th Street and Independence Avenue. He had moved to Yonkers and was last residing in an apartment building at 682 Tuckahoe Road. 

According to the 50th Precinct’s commanding officer, Capt. Terence O’Toole, Mr. Madden had a dispute with his family last week. Mr. Madden then left his family home and stayed in an unspecified hotel in Yonkers. He checked out of the hotel and parked at the Van Cortlandt Golf Course parking lot. 

“We believe he committed suicide after that, sometime shortly thereafter,” said Capt. O’Toole.

Mr. Madden’s family reported him missing to Yonkers police on July 22. Capt. O’Toole said Mr. Madden’s family knew he liked to go to the golf course, so the police organized a search of the area on July 23 at 5:30 p.m. Officers found Mr. Madden’s Toyota sedan parked at the golf course, with his wallet, cash and credit cards inside. 

Capt. O’Toole said about 20 officers, including a strategic response group, searched the park for Mr. Madden. The search was unsuccessful, but according to an NYPD spokeswoman, a witness observed a body floating facedown in Van Cortlandt Lake and informed the authorities. They then recovered Mr. Madden’s body shortly before 8:30 p.m.

Mr. Madden’s family could not immediately be reached for comment.

Mr. Madden was born in Gowna, County Cavan, Ireland, according to an obituary on the website of the Flynn Memorial Home in Yonkers. He worked for the United Brotherhood of Carpenters’ Local Union 608 and the city’s Board of Education. 

He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; children Deidre (George) Keller, Siobhan Madden and Bernard Madden; and grandsons George and John. The Flynn Memorial Home obituary stated his is “also survived by John Madden and many loving relatives here and abroad.”

A funeral service was held at Saint Eugene’s Church in Yonkers on Tuesday. Flynn Memorial Home said in lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Arc Westchester — which serves children, teens and adults with disabilities — by going towww.arcwestchester.org or calling 914-949-9300, ext. 4515.

Van Cortlandt Lake, suicide, Bernard Barney Madden, 50th Precinct, Isabel Angell, Shant Shahrigian