A grandmother and her 20-year-old grandson were having a great time fishing Saturday morning until the unthinkable happened.
As the woman was casting, her fishing line got tangled in a tree and when she stood up in a John boat in an attempt to retrieve it, she lost her balance and fell into the water, according to Sgt. Ricky Boles, a game warden with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division.
Authorities identified the deceased victim as 72-year-old Margie Sheppard, who lived nearby. Her grandson was identified as Lance Brookins, 20, of Brookins Circle, Milledgeville.
The woman’s grandson jumped into the water to help his grandmother. He managed to bring his grandmother to shore before calling 911. A dispatcher with the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office then talked him through CPR steps until first responders arrived.
At the scene, the woman was given further life-saving measures that were administered by firefighters/first responders with Baldwin County Fire Rescue and personnel with Atrium Navicent Emergency Medical Services. She was taken by ambulance to the emergency department of Atrium Health Navicent Baldwin hospital in Milledgeville. She was later pronounced dead by a physician.
The boating accident happened about 9:30 a.m. Saturday at a private pond off Butler Road, according to DNR Game Warden Erin McDade.
