Bibb County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to Frank Amerson Park at 6:39 p.m. Tuesday in reference to a possible drowning. It was reported that 28-year-old Alex Mendoza ,23-year-Laura Yesseria, and 17-year-old Betty Gisselle Rivera, of North Carolina, were in the Ocmulgee River near the stairs of the Bluff Pavilion, when all three of the victims were last seen going under the water.
Citizens near the river heard calls for help and jumped in to help the victims. Alex and Laura were pulled out of the water, and were responsive. Betty was also pulled out of the water and was unresponsive. CPR was performed on Betty as she was transported to the hospital. All three victims are family members.
It was reported that when deputies responded, two male citizens had gone into the river, and pulled Alex and Laura from the river. Betty was found further down the river by one of the men, and was pulled from the river with the assistance of Macon-Bibb County Firefighters and Bibb County Sheriff’s Office deputies.
All three victims, along with one of the men that assisted in retrieving Betty from the water, were transported to the hospital by ambulance to receive treatment. Betty later died from her injuries. Alex and Laura and the male citizen are listed to be in stable condition. The Bibb County Sheriff‘s Office was notified that the next of kin has been notified by Coroner Ronnie Miley. This incident is still under investigation.
Macon-Bibb County wants to remind everyone to wear life jackets at all times when on the river.
Original Media Release
May 17, 2022
Drowning Incident at Frank Amerson Park
Bibb County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to Frank Amerson Park at 6:39 p.m. Tuesday in reference to a possible drowning. It was reported that a 28-year-old male, 23-year-old female, and a 17-year-old female, were in the Ocmulgee River near the stairs of the Bluff Pavilion, when all three of the victims were last seen going under the water.
Citizens near the river heard calls for help and jumped in to help the victims. The 28-year-old male, and 23-year-old female, were pulled out of the water, and were responsive. The 17-year-old female was also pulled out of the water and was unresponsive. CPR was performed on her as she was transported to the hospital. All three victims are family members.
It was reported that when deputies responded, two male citizens had gone into the river, and pulled the 28-year-old male, and the 23-year-old female from the river. The 17-year-old female was found further down the river by one of the men, and was pulled from the river with the assistance of Macon-Bibb County Firefighters and Bibb County Sheriff’s Office deputies.
All three victims, along with one of the men that assisted in retrieving the 17-year-old from the water, were transported to the hospital by ambulance to receive treatment. The 17-year-old female later died from her injuries. The 28-year-old male, 23-year-old female, and the male citizen are listed to be in stable condition. The name of all of the victims will be released once the next of kin has been notified. This incident is still under investigation.
Macon-Bibb County wants to remind everyone to wear life jackets at all times when on the river.