Eight-year-old drowns at creek Saturday

A fun day at the lake turned tragic as a Red Bay 8-year-old boy drowned around 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Slickrock Campground on Bear Creek Lakes.

Franklin County Sheriff Shannon Oliver said the child was transported by ambulance to Russellville Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

“Right now we are still doing an investigation, taking witness testimony, so we don’t know too much yet,” Oliver said.

Oliver said a park ranger was on the scene when reports came in of a missing child. After the help of bystanders, the child was located in the water.

The child has been confirmed as a student at Red Bay Elementary School.

Oliver said he hopes to know more information about the incident soon.