MAN DROWNS TRYING TO SAVE CHILD

A Cape Girardeau man drowned Monday while trying to rescue a 5-year-old boy at Trail of Tears State Park.

Ronald Craig Overbey, 27, was pronounced dead on the scene. Cape County Coroner John E. Carpenter said the victim died immediately of fresh water drowning.

Overbey was picnicking at Lake Boutin with family members, who were in town for his father's funeral.

Witnesses said the children of the Overbey's girlfriend floated on a raft into the deepest part of the lake. According to these witnesses, the children were on a raft when they started shouting that the 5-year-old boy had fallen off and was drowning. The entire family panicked, and Overbey ran into the water to save the boy.

"He swam out there like he knew what he was doing," said Kim Osborne, who watched the entire episode. "We saw that the boy was safely on the raft, and we saw the man's head come up. Then it went back down, and he didn't come back up."

The children were rescued, but Overbey was unable to make it back to shore before he went down in nearly 10 feet of water. Several people then jumped in the water to try to save Overbey, but no one was able to find him.

"I just stood there hollering at him, and he didn't come up," said Elizabeth Doherty, who was at the lake with the Overbey family. "We knew we all had to get him out of there, but it was too late. We couldn't get to him quick enough."

At about 2:22 p.m., the Cape Girardeau Fire and Ambulance Department, the East County Fire Department, the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department and the Missouri Highway Patrol were called to the scene to search for the victim.

For the next three hours rescue squads dredged the bottom of the lake and sent divers into the mass of seaweed to look for the body. At about 4:45 p.m., they found the body of Ronald Overbey, near the spot where witnesses said he went under.

"He was very brave to try to save his girlfriend's son," said Doherty. "I can't believe this happened to him. I just can't believe his father died, now he's drowned. It's so awful."

Doherty said that the family was appreciative of those who tried to save Overbey.

The drowning has been classified as accidental, but the Department of Natural Resources will conduct an investigation of the accident, said Trail of Tears Park Superintendent Hershal Price.

"It's just one of those things that happen," Price said. "If the child hadn't been in a dangerous situation, then this may not have happened. But (Overbey) was certainly being gallant trying to save the child. It's a very sad situation."

Because there is no lifeguard on duty at the lake, Price recommends that people using the lake should not use alcohol while swimming, they should always swim with a buddy, and they should swim close to the beach area.