A heartbreaking incident unfolded on Friday, May 31, 2024, when a 911 call at 6:11 am alerted the Panola County Dispatch to a potential drowning on Private Road 7000, just outside Carthage, Texas. The caller reported ongoing CPR efforts for a two-year-old child.
Patrol Deputies, Investigators, and UT Health EMS responded to the scene, but despite their best efforts, the life-saving measures unfortunately proved unsuccessful.
Following protocol, the Precincts 1 and 4 Justice of the Peace was notified for an inquest. Subsequently, an autopsy was ordered to determine the exact cause of death. The Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences (SWIFS) in Dallas will conduct the autopsy.
In the wake of this tragedy, the Panola County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation Division, in collaboration with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, will undertake a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Sheriff Cutter Clinton expressed his heartfelt condolences, stating, "We extend our condolences to the family in their time of grief."
