Through the joint efforts of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and Florida Fish and Wildlife Dive team, the body of the missing 15 year old swimmer has been located and recovered.
Please refrain from coming to the area, as investigative efforts are still in progress.
We ask that you keep the family of the deceased in your thoughts and prayers as they process this difficult outcome.
Sheriff Kevin Crews would like to thank all of the Washington County Deputies who responded, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Officers who responded, and the community for their outreach of support during this tragic time.
Prior Post-
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Officers continued the search for the missing 15-year old boy at first light this morning.
Access to an underwater scanning sonar system has been made available to aid in the search, as well as other bottom and side scanning equipment.
Water visibility is less than one foot, and divers are having a difficult time navigating through the debris underwater.
This equipment should allow a better visual of the scene underwater, allowing divers to be more effective while remaining safe in their search.
We ask that citizens please remain from attempting to bring boats in the area, as first responder personnel is operating in and out of the waterways near Vernon.
We will continue to update you as information is available through the Washington County Sheriff’s Office mobile app and our Facebook page. The app can be found in your phone’s app store under “Washington County FL Sheriff”.
If you have any information, please contact the Washington County Sheriff’s Office at 850-638-6111.
