4-year-old found dead after mom saw him go under water at Georgia park, officials say
UPDATE: On March 27, the child whose body was found was identified as Nasir Mitchell of DeKalb County, Georgia. He died from drowning after he went missing in Yellow River Park, the Gwinnett County medical examiner’s office told McClatchy News.
The original story is below.
A 4-year-old boy was found dead after taking a trip to a riverfront park with his mother, Georgia officials told news outlets.
Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services said the child vanished after his mom briefly looked away Saturday, March 25.
“He was last seen in the water, and his mother witnessed him go under the rivertop,” Capt. Ryan McGiboney said in video that WAGA recorded at a press conference.
First responders were called at about 5:45 p.m. to Yellow River Park in Stone Mountain, roughly 20 miles east of downtown Atlanta. The recreation area is popular with children on warmer days, McGiboney said in the video.
A 911 caller reported seeing “a small child was floating down the river and unable to get out,” Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services said in a news release. Officials used drones, boats and other tools to search for the boy, though weather limited the use of some equipment, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
Then on March 26, the body of a child that matched the missing boy’s description was found at about 10:30 a.m., firefighters wrote in a news release.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources identified the child as the one who disappeared. His body was found in about 4 feet of water and was taken to the Gwinnett County medical examiner’s office, WSB-TV reported.
“Officials are asking people to pray for the family,” firefighters told WANF.
The medical examiner’s office didn’t immediately share additional information with McClatchy News, and the Department of Natural Resources directed questions to Gwinnett County officials on March 27.
McGiboney in the news conference encouraged people to wear a life jacket when near bodies of water.
This story was originally published March 27, 2023 at 12:13 PM with the headline "4-year-old found dead after mom saw him go under water at Georgia park, officials say."
