Child drowns in High Rock Lake

Map indicating area where toddler drowned. Graphic by Andy Mooney, Salisbury Post.

By Jessie Burchette

jburchette@salisburypost.com

A toddler died Monday after being found unresponsive in High Rock Lake.

Authorities discovered the 16-month-old boy in the water 40 minutes after his mother reported him missing.

The child's mother called 911 at 12:54 p.m. Monday saying she couldn't find the child at the family's lakefront home at 710 Catfish Road, off Panther Point Road. She reported last seeing the child inside the home and said a neighbor was helping search outside.

"The mother turned around and the child was gone" said Eddie Cress of the Rowan County Rescue Squad. "He had got out through the back door."

Units from the Sheriff's Office and Rowan County Rescue Squad responded, as well as boats from the Gold Hill and Miller's Ferry fire departments. A N.C. Highway Patrol helicopter was also dispatched to aid in the search.

Cress said Rescue Squad and Sheriff's Office personnel set up to do a "hasty search" of a 300-foot area around the house in all directions.

At 1:35 p.m., a Rowan County deputy found the child floating at the edge of the lake, about 50 feet from the back door of the house.

Although the child was non-responsive, Rowan County EMS started CPR and continued that on the way to Rowan Regional Medical Center.

At 4:02 p.m., doctors ceased their efforts to revive the little boy and he was pronounced dead, the Sheriff's Office said.

The Sheriff's Office declined to identify the family until other relatives were notified of the child's death.

The investigation is ongoing.