THOMAS COUNTY, Ga. — The Thomas County Sheriff's office says that the person who drowned in the Ocklocknee River Monday was likely a child, not an adult.
Initially the sheriff's office identified the body as a 19-year-old man Tuesday morning. However, deputies now believe the body that was found was not an adult, but a minor.
They say they've finally gotten in contact with the victim's mother in Mexico who confirmed the victim's age, though a spokesman says they're still working with translators to gather more information.
The victim, who's listed as an Americus resident, was working with a team clearing brush with a Georgia Power right-of-way crew. Deputies say the information he gave for employment, including his Social Security number, was false.
Authorities say other members of the crew saw the victim fall into deep waters on the river and called 911.
The sheriff's office arrived on scene around 2 p.m. Monday and his body was recovered around 7:30 p.m. by the Lowndes County Dive Team.
At this time, authorities have not released the true age of the victim.
The Lowndes County Dive Team has found the body of a Hispanic man who drowned in the Ochlocknee River on Monday.
The Thomas County Sheriff's Office said they found the man Monday evening and he was somewhere between his late teens or early twenties.
Deputies have not identified the man and are working to get in contact with his family.
At this time, they do not know why or how he fell into the river.
This is a developing story.
The Thomas County Sheriff's Office is on scene of a possible drowning involving a missing person in Ocklocknee.
Deputies said they're on scene at a river near Highway 3, but that's all the information they could give us at this time.
This is a developing story.
