A 26-year-old man’s body was found in the Ocmulgee River at Amerson River Park on Monday, following a drowning that began Sunday.
What Happened: The Macon-Bibb County Fire Department Dive Team and Georgia Department of Natural Resources discovered the body at 5:28 p.m. Coroner Leon Jones confirmed the victim’s death. The man has been identified as Daniel Romain of New Jersey.
Between the Lines: The investigation continues as authorities seek to understand the circumstances of the drowning. Emergency personnel responded quickly after the man was reported missing at 12:54 p.m. on Sunday. Search efforts began Sunday and resumed Monday morning before Romain’s body was recovered.
The Big Picture: This drowning is not an isolated case in the Ocmulgee River area. Earlier this year, the body of 22-year-old Jahvon Whitest was recovered after he went missing at Amerson Park while swimming against the current. Witnesses reported that Whitest was struggling in the water before he went under, and despite immediate search efforts, his body was found days later.
Another tragic drowning occurred in May 2023, when 20-year-old Raymund Ellison Jr. disappeared while tubing at Amerson Park. Witnesses lost sight of Ellison, and after extensive search operations, his body was found two days later.
In a separate incident, 33-year-old Billy Scott Carter drowned while attempting to rescue struggling children at the Ocmulgee River Riverwalk. Carter managed to save the children, but he himself succumbed to the river’s currents.
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