Child Drowning in Lake Monticello – Afternoon Update
May 31st, 2012 by Joe Burgess
More details about the drowning death of a 6 year-old Wilmar boy in Lake Monticello, Wednesdayhave become available.
At 3:50 pm, Wednesday, the Drew County Sheriff Office received a phone call of a 6 year old child missing in the swimming area of Lake Monticello at the HWY 35 entrance.
Drew County Dive and Rescue Team, Drew County Sheriff officers, Monticello Police officers, Monticello Firefighters, Arkansas State Police, Game & Fish, MASI, and SEEMS responded, forming lines of searchers, covering all areas of, and near, the swimming area. Rescue boats were also staged on scene, if needed.
At 5:22, the child was located, near the swimming area, at the Hunge Run lake entrance, approximately 55 feet from the shore “point”.
MASI transported the child to Drew Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 6 p.m.
The six-year-old boy was identified as Benjamin R. Hayes, of Wilmar.
A revised estimate of the depth of the area where he was found is believed to be around 15 ft. The is an underwater “shelf” around the swimming area, which drops off into the deeper waters, where the child was found. Searchers used the “rope method” to search for the missing child, which keeps searchers in a straighter line, eliminating many chances of “gaps” of missed coverage. The “rope method’ is only effective in waters shallower than neck-deep to an adult.
The child was actually found by underwater divers, using a rope, to locate anything in the deeper areas, that were laying on the bottom of the lake floor. They felt resistance on the search rope, which led to the child being recovered.
Sources told MonticelloLive that he was at the lake with his mother and a sister, and the children had been playing around a large rock near the bank ant the corner point of the shore, when he disappeared.
Funeral arrangement for Benjamin R. Hayes are being provided by Stephenson-Dearman.
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Im sorry for the people or persons that this has happened to…but this is exactly why there shouldnt be any swimming at the lake. Countless times I see people diving off the dock.
Praying the rescue teams find the child and he/she is okay.
sending prayers!!
Praying for all involved…
This family is my prayers…..they jus found him….
Praying for this family and those involved in the search. Cannot imagine what this family is going through.
Praying.
that is so sad, my pray go out to the family
My prayers go out to the family.
I have been to Lake Monticello, and I don’t think people should be allowed to swim there. This is not the first drowning in Lake Monticello. I hope and pray this never happens again. My prayers go out to the Hayes family at this time.
My heart goes out to the family of this young boy. This is so sad. You are all in my prayers and have my deepest sympathy.
Iam so sorry to hear this prayers goin up for this family.
Praying for the Family ….no family should ever have to deal with losig a child…especially one who is yet to begin to experience life at such an early age. He was in myson’s AWANA class on Wednesdays. I am not sure I have the courage to tell my son about this.
Very sad and will keep this whole family in my prayers!!
No doubt about it,Heaven has a brand new Angel! Right now,I’m sure this has very little chance of easing the pain of the loss. I can only extend sympathy to the family and assure you, many,many prayers are going up for you right now,including my own!
Praying for the Family (my neighbors).
I witnessed this :'( but I’m tired of all the people saying “That’s why people shouldn’t be swimming at the lake” People drown at beaches & get attacked by sharks but nobody says “We need to close the beaches” People drown in lakes all the time all over the place it just seems bad because we live here & we hear about all of them. This was a stomach dropping experience just for me to watch I can’t even imagine how the family feels. This is a horrible thing to happen to anyone. My prayers go out to the family.
This is a very sad and tragic accident. I agree with Aaron, closing the lake to swimmers is not the answer. What else is a lake, pond, pool supposed to be used for?
I pray for God to surround this family with his comfort and strength as only He can, during this tragic loss. Ben was one of my AWANA students and such a sweet boy. I also have his older brother and had his Sister in our AWANA program in years past. This family means alot to me. My deepest sympathy and many prayers going up.
My prayers go out to the family of this baby. Stay strong in Christ.
My prayers are with the family
I just want to say this to the family. MY PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU ! YOUR LOSE IS HORRIBLE AND MOST OF ALL IT IS SOMETHING THAT JUST MAKES U FEEL BROKEN INSIDE. LET ME SAY THIS TO U GOD IS YOUR COMFORT IN ALL OF THIS. REMEMBER HIS LOVE IS WHAT MAKES U STRONGER AND BRINGS UR SOUL TO PEACE EVERYDAY
I am Very Deeply Saddened at the news of this. Although I did not know the child, I understand that he was a very special little man. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, and I know that God will soo them through. :)
SO sad and Sorry for your lose! GOD Bless you each of this young boys family!!
In Christian LOVE! and PRAYERS for your entire family!
How did the kid come up missing??
No words can help at this time, except to say, we love you.
Would like to thank all the people that helped look for the child. This is the part of our job that makes it hard. And there was other people that helped, Thank You. And my prayers to the family. It is no words that can take the pain away but time will help. Be strong for the rest of your family.
The people that are saying ANYTHING about NOT swimming at the lake needs to stop and think. We have kids driving on the road that are killed every day, that we read about. HURT is HURT!! Losing someone young is HORRIBLE, losing anybody we love is horrible. Be considerate to this family…to ALL these families we hear and read about. To this family today…The family is hurting BAD enough without comments like that!! To the friends and family..May God BLESS and PROTECT you all in the hall of His MIGHTY MIGHTY hands..NOW FOREVER and ALWAYS!! I am SO SO sorry for this loss!!
This is so very sad. My prayers go out to the family of this little fellow. Prayers also for the rescuers/searchers who helped retrieve him. Anything with a child is very traumatic them as well..I pray that all involved will be comforted…
Thank all of you for your prayers and concerns. Our family has endured a tremendous loss. Everyone please hold your children tight and tell them you love them until they are tired of hearing it. Please do this in honor of little Ben.
What a gut renching thing me and my man witnessed along with many others yesterday. We are friends with some of the family friends and our hearts sank while standing out there. I can not imagen ever expereincing such a thing like this.
I agree with Aaron it sounds worse becasue we live here but asuring it does happen all over. Yes this is a local hot spot in the summer and accidents are going to happen here or anywere. Just my opioin….
MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS WIHT ALL FAMILY, FRIENDS,ETC… MY GODS HAND OF PEACE, COMFORT AND STRENGHT REST OVER YALL!!!!
And THANK YOU TO ALL THAT HELPED WITH THE RESUCE EFFEORT!!!
This Family was friends of ours it’s very
sad thing when you loose your Y’all Are in
our prayers I Also Live At A River Where
We swim all time it happenes everywhere
Our thoughts and prayers goes out to Halley and Billy. I grew up w/ Billy and he is a great guy. I hope I never have to experience what they’ve been through. Also I want the grandparents to know we are thinking of y’all also. Love you Mrs Mary.
Love,
Curtis and Kristie
If the swimming area had been roped off, this child might still be alive… So sad
I could never imagine losing one of my children. There is no greater pain than the loss of a child. God gained a special angel yesterday. I know that this is a very hard experience to go through but take comfort in knowing that god doesnt take us till he is ready for us. He had bigger plans for this little angel. God Bless and you will be in my thoughts and prayers!!!
I lift the family up in prayer, I have now been involved in 3 of the 4 drownings at lake Monticello. This very well could have happened at city park pool, saline river or your bathtub. I can not answer why or how, I have never been able to and as long as I live here on this earth I never will. For all things there is a reason and purpose and I am very sad that the family has to deal with this loss. I had bad dreams all night as I also have small children and can only think that could have been my child. It hurts and I pray for peace all the days to come for the family. The Psalmist David wrote in Psalm 121 “Look into the hills from whence cometh my help, my help cometh from the Lord.”
Prayers for Halley and billy …..you’ll are in are thoughts and prayers …may god be with you’ll through this time of need…
There has been one drowning a year for the last four years. Each one was tragic and sad but considering how many people use Lake Monticello, we shouldn’t be surprised by those numbers.
This is so very sad…..it should never have happened…CLOSE the swiming area……how many must be lost to this lake before you close it? I am praying for the family and the child. I know he is with God but it is cold comphort to a mother. God love you and keep you.
I was there when it happened and was there when it ended with some kids myself. We don’t know this family but had to try to help until others got there.
Fact the mother was there with him, another son and daughter along with an extra child. The child was in the water wading around in the shallow part. The area he was located was over neck-deep in places but those searching continued. Several people have been talking about a lady that posted something to the effect of she couldn’t believe the search team had to wait for a boat to begin searching FYI they didn’t wait for the boat to get there as soon as it happened there were several people including myself who began searching before law enforcement, ambulance, dive team etc got there then when they arrived they took over the search. The boat had NOTHING to do with searching it was there to get the child to the bank and to be able to get to anyone that was searching if a problem occurred. To the part about maybe one day they will be smart enough to just leave the boat at the dock, how long do you think that boat would stay there w/o getting stolen or vandalized? In reference to no diving, no swimming and no jumping off dock the adult that allows a child of any age is responsible for whoever they let get in the water. Unfortunately we cannot go back and avoid this from happening this time but hopefully it will open eyes of others so if they cant swim either put a lifejacket on them or take them to the swimming pool. This is a very tragic and my heart goes out to this mother and other family members.
i am truly sorry about this i have kids and i don’t know what i would do if this would happen to me. my prayers are with the family.
My heart and soul goes out to this family, no one should ever bury their family members ecspecially a child, i am not talking bad about anyone or anything, i havent been to the lake in a long time, but this poor mother and father is grieving over the lose of their son. for the ones that tried to help find him the Citizens of Drew County thank you very much for your bravery and dedication in helping find this poor child…I cant imagine what they are feeling nor going through, grant that day was bad but today and tomorrow will be even harder lets please keep this family in our prayers say an extra one for this family tonight…Life is to short never take life for granted cause you never know what may happen..my kids fight all the time, and drive me crazy but i wouldnt change it for the world..love on your kids tell them you love them everyday..RIP Butter Bean
Thoughts and prayers for this entire family. I pray that God gives you strength, I cannot imagine that pain. I am so sorry. He is a beautiful and precious child. May God place his hands upon all of you.. So very sorry. You will be in my prayers daily.
Poor baby…..many prayers sent to family at this time..
There has been such an out-pouring of love from the community, friends, and acquaintences for which our family greatly appreciates! Over the coming days things will slow down but our family will still be coping with this loss. As little Ben’s Aunt, as I just ask you to continue pouring out love for our family but even more importantly, each other. For those of you that knew Ben you know he was filled with such love. Maybe all of us can continue his legacy of LOVE. We will miss you, little Ben but you will never be forgotten! Love always, Aunt Anna