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A Year Later, No Barricades At Boat Launch Where Two Men Died

CHICAGO (CBS) -- There are no barriers and no warning signs ahead of a road that goes right into a river.

This after two young men died, when their car went into the water.

CBS 2's Vince Gerasole reports there is no clear answer. The boat launch is where this accident occured, but a year later both the city of Chicago and the private Sunset Bay Marina continue to dispute who is responsible for its maintenance and marking.

The families of those who died are demanding someone take action before this happens to someone else.

The boat searches of the Calumet River, the patrols of helicopters overhead are all difficult  memories from the past.

"Hurt, pain, hurt, pain," said Shawanda Searcy, cousin of one of the victims.

Today, a road leading to an unmarked boat launch is where there is still no gate or warming sign. It keeps the deaths of 23-year-old Devontae Searcy and 26-year-old Demetrius Hendricks an open wound for their families one year later.

"I have been to the site three times this whole year," said Shawanda Searcy. "I wonder why no one is doing nothing."

Without those markings, Searcy and Hendricks drove straight into the river's waters and died. Another friend, Christopher Henderson, managed to escape.

"We aren't getting help," said Jermonte Hendricks, brother of one of the victims. "No one is paying attention to us."

The night was dark and rainy. The friends, after attending a party, were reportedly following their GPS signal. It somehow led them to a street that turned into the unlit and unguarded boat launch beside the Sunset Bay Marina.

"They don't care," Shawanda Searcy said.

"It's been a whole year, 12 months, and it's still not blocked off. It could happen to anybody," added Jermonte Hendricks.

Marina owners insist  the property belongs to the city of Chicago. Family members are upset that last winter, the best anyone could do is put up two metal chairs to block off the area.

Those two chairs that now sit beside the launch. They said it's a sign the deaths are not being taken seriously enough.

"Everybody, the whole world knows what happened. We don't need someone else to go throguh what we did," said Shawanda Searcy.

The best the city law department can offer up is that it canit clarify who is responsible because of ongoing litigation.

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