Teen boy drowns in Beech Lake on Memorial Day

LEXINGTON, Tenn.–Henderson County Emergency Management Agency Director Drew Cook says an 18-year-old male drowned near the swimming area at Beech Lake on Memorial Day.

“It was crazy, it just tore my heart into pieces to hear that,” said Chelsea Braun, who was at the lake.

“Before we could even get into the water, not even five minutes after we got here, they told us that an 18-year-old boy had drowned,” Braun said. “I mean every emergency personnel you can think of, they all just started showing up.”

Crews from the Henderson County Rescue Squad, West Tennessee Dive, Lexington Fire and Police Departments searched for the boy for hours.

“We saw the family at the picnic table, sitting there and one of them was crying, but everybody else just looked like they were in shock,” Braun said.

Cook said rescue crews recovered the teen’s body around 8:30 p.m. Monday.

“You always expect family on Memorial Day, to be together and happy, just having a good old time with each other, then somebody drowns. It’s not what you’d expect,” Braun said.

Cook says all public access was closed and all boat traffic was directed by emergency personnel on the water.

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