Record note: The Record is publishing this brief to provide more accurate information in response to some of the preceding, non-Record coverage of this incident, specifically concerning the investigating agency, location, and aspects of the timeline. We have omitted the name of the victim.
According to Laclede County Sheriff Matt Frederick, the Sheriff’s Office is investigating a drowning incident of a five-year-old at Bennett Spring Campground and Float Trips (not the state park) that occurred the evening July 11.
He said while reviewing the incident that it appeared the victim was flown to Kansas City, and the time of death would have been on July 12.
Cpl. Ralicia Tyler, public information officer for Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop I, which was one of the other responding agencies, separately confirmed that the incident took place on Saturday, the victim transported to and was pronounced in Kansas City, and the Sheriff’s Office was the investigating agency.
911 director for Laclede County Ryan Miles separately confirmed the address and name of the campground where the incident took place.
The Record did not get a response to its communications to Bennett Spring Campground and Float Trips by the time this article was published.
