News Release

Presumed Drowning of Local Resident in White Oak Creek at Big South Fork NRRA

Date: July 12, 2019
Contact: Niki Stephanie Nicholas, [phone]

On July 9, 2019, at approximately 4:30 PM (ET) law enforcement and rescue personnel responded to a 911 call of a possible drowning in White Oak Creek, which feeds into the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River and makes up part of Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area.

The 10-year-old male, from Oneida, Tennessee, area was reported to have been swimming in the creek when the incident occurred. The search area consisted of an approximate 20-foot-deep area of the creek with a swift running current through boulders with low water visibility due to runoff from recent rainfall.

Search operations lasted all night, and on July 10, at approximately 10:45 AM, the body of the deceased juvenile was located within the initial search area, and taken to the medical examiner at the University of Tennessee Medical Center.

This incident is still under law enforcement investigation.

Agencies involved in the search and investigation include:

• Cumberland County Rescue Squad
• National Park Service
• Rapid Response Services
• Scott County Emergency Management Office
• Scott County Rescue Squad
• Scott County Sheriff’s Department
• South McCreary Fire Department
• Tennessee Emergency Management Agency
• West McCreary County Fire Department
• Whitley City Fire Department