Man, 38, and 14-Year-Old Boy Found Dead After 'Possible Drowning' at Georgia Campground

Joelle Goldstein
·2 min read
Georgia drowning
Georgia drowning

Newton County Sheriff's Office Georgia campground

A trip to a Georgia campground took a tragic turn for two people after "a possible drowning" that left both dead, according to authorities.

The Newton County Sheriff's Office in Covington confirmed in a press release that the body of Antonio Perry, 38, was located and recovered on Wednesday, while the body of Dejerein Grier, 14, was found on Thursday.

Officials said the incident occurred on Tuesday evening at Factory Shoals Park in Covington, after Perry and Grier "went under and never resurfaced."

Around 7 p.m., authorities were called to the scene, where they began a search for the missing pair, who they believed were victims of a "possible drowning."

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Their search efforts continued until lighting conditions were too poor for visibility, but authorities resumed the search early Wednesday and later pulled Perry's body from the waters.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Newton County Sheriff's Office announced they had to call off the search for the teen again, citing "weather conditions," but confirmed that they would pick up efforts on Thursday morning at 8 a.m.

By Thursday at 11:50 a.m., officials announced they had located Grier's body in the waters and had concluded their search at the nature park.

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In an interview with NBC affiliate WXIA, Perry's daughter, Najwa, explained that the incident happened as her dad was out fishing with his girlfriend's son.

According to Najwa, Grier went for a swim. While in the water, the teen began to struggle, so Perry jumped in and rescued him. But soon after, the teen jumped in again. Though Perry attempted to save him, he was not successful this time around.

"They didn't make the second time. Something just kept pulling them down," Najwa told WXIA, noting that Perry was a good swimmer. "My father was just trying to save him."

Factory Shoals Park, located along the Alcovy River in southern Newton County, is described as "a haven" for fishermen, nature lovers, rafters and swimmers, according to the county's website.