Authorities recovered the body of a black male from the Alabama River Monday after two juveniles who were fishing found it stuck in a tree branch near the riverbank. The juveniles, who were fishing just west of the Edmund Pettus Bridge when they discovered the body, reported it to another fisherman who called 911.

According to Selma Police Department Lieutenant Johnny King, the body was only several yards from the bank on the Selmont side of the river.

The victim, a black male who authorities estimated to be between 40 to 50 years old, had identification on his body and is believed to be from Selma. Authorities contacted his family, but say the body will not be officially identified until an autopsy is performed.

“We are looking to have a positive ID by probably Wednesday or Thursday of this week,” King said.

The Selma Police Department, coroner and Selma-Dallas County Rescue Team all responded to the scene and assisted with recovering the body.

“The coroner came out and pronounced him dead,” King said. “The Selma-Dallas County Rescue Squad took him on a boat to the (Selma) marina.

“Miller Funeral Home were waiting on us and they took the body straight to Montgomery to the Alabama Department of Forensic Science.”

Authorities have not yet confirmed a cause of death, but believe the man had been dead for more than one day, and possibly several days.

“We do not suspect foul play, it’s just a death investigation,” King said.

According to the Selma Police Department, no one filed a missing person report that matched the description of the body or the ID that was found on the body.