Submitted by Fox First at Ten on July 13th
BREAKING: KHQ has confirmed with Sacred Heart that the 16-year-old Spirit Lake teen involved in a swimming accident in Mill Pond has died. He's identified as 16-year-old August J. (A.J.) Marksworth. Kootenai County investigators do not believe that there is any indication of criminal activity and believe that this is only a tragic accident.
PREVIOUS STORY:
Sheriff's Office investigators have a much better understanding of what happened in the near drowning incident Wednesday at Spirit Lake. According to the investigation August J. (A.J.) Marksworth, 16 of Spirit Lake and Nathan T. Thiers, 15, also of Spirit Lake were at the mill pond area of Spirit Lake when they decided to wade across the mill pond.
Most of the area is four to five feet deep, however, parts of the pond are seven to eight feet deep. As they were wading across the pond, Marksworth stepped into an area that was about eight feet deep. According to family members, Marksworth is not a good swimmer or is he able to tread water.
Thiers went to Marksworth and tried to pull him to shallower water, but after about 30 yards, both subjects became very tired and let go of each other. Marksworth then sank to the bottom. Thiers reported that he was in the water no more than an additional 4 minutes before being rescued by a private individual in a kayak. A sheriff's deputy then arrived on scene along with Spirit Lake Fire personnel.
The deputy dove into the water and recovered Marksworth from the lake bottom and transfer him into the fire boat where CPR was begun. Marksworth was transported to Sacred Heart Medical Center by Medstar Air Ambulance and as of last reports, is in critical condition. Thiers was transported to Kootenai Medical Center and treated and released.
Comments