Authorities have identified 7-year-old Tristan Cornelius as the child who died in Friday’s drowning incident at Lake Tobesofkee, while one of the two other children involved has been released from medical care.
The drowning occurred at 2:38 p.m. on May 23 at the Michael Dewayne Jones Public Fishing Area when three boys — ages 7, 8, and 10 — suddenly went underwater. First responders from multiple agencies entered the water to rescue the children.
Deputies, Macon-Bibb Fire Department personnel, and Community Ambulance paramedics successfully recovered the 8-year-old and 10-year-old boys, who were transported to a medical facility. The 10-year-old has since been released, while the 8-year-old remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition.
Tristan Cornelius was found unresponsive and pronounced dead at the scene.
Take Action: The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the incident and asks anyone with information to contact them at 478-751-7500. A fundraiser has been set up to raise money for Tristan’s funeral expenses. It has only raised $1,270 so far.
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Before You Dismiss This Article…
We live in a time when information feels overwhelming, but here’s what hasn’t changed: facts exist whether they comfort us or not.
When A&W launched their third-pound burger to compete with McDonald’s Quarter Pounder in the 1980s, it failed spectacularly. Not because it tasted worse, but because customers thought 1/3 was smaller than 1/4. If basic math can trip us up, imagine how easily we can misread complex news.
The press isn’t against you when it reports something you don’t want to hear. Reporters are thermometers, not the fever itself. They’re telling you what verified sources are saying, not taking sides. Good reporting should challenge you — that’s literally the job.
Next time a story makes you angry, pause. Ask yourself: What evidence backs this up? Am I reacting with my brain or my gut? What would actually change my mind? And most importantly, am I assuming bias just because the story doesn’t match what I hoped to hear.
Smart readers choose verified information over their own comfort zone.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
