Missing 16-year-old found after apparent drowning in Kentucky River
Officials searching for a missing Texas teenage boy last seen struggling to swim in the Kentucky River found his body Tuesday afternoon, according to the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.
The boy was found around 5:30 p.m. and declared dead by the Madison County Coroner’s Office, the sheriff’s office said. The boy’s name is Damien Chamberland.
“The Madison County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank all agencies who assisted in the recovery efforts,” the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post. “Please keep Damien Chamberland’s family in your prayers.”
Chamberland was swimming with friends in the Kentucky River at Fort Boonesborough State Park in Madison County Tuesday afternoon when he went under and didn’t resurface, said Madison County sheriff’s deputy Michael Stotts. His friends called 911, and the Whitehall Fire Department was the first of several agencies to respond.
Search efforts lasted until 8 p.m. Tuesday and resumed at 8 a.m. Wednesday. By Wednesday afternoon the mission had changed to a search and recovery operation, Stotts said.
“They picked where they left off and did a grid search. They’re continuing to search,” Stotts said.
Overnight rain did not cause any complications with the search Wednesday. Stotts said the width and length of the river presented the biggest challenge.
“The search area is so vast that it just takes some time,” Stotts said.
Search officials are used drones, sonar and divers in the water in the search.
The boy’s family is on the scene, Stotts said.
In addition to Whitehall, local agencies involved in the search include: Richmond Fire Department, Winchester Fire Department, Lexington Fire Department, Clark County Fire Department, London-Laurel Rescue, Campbellsville Fire & Rescue, Madison County EMS, Richmond Police Department, Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources and Lexington Emergency Management.
This story was originally published July 16, 2024 at 4:42 PM.
