Smiths Station woman dies following accidental drowning at Lake Harding
LEE COUNTY, AL (WTVM) – A woman has died after she drowned accidentally while canoeing on Saturday, according to the Lee County Coroner's Office.
At around 7:27 p.m. on Aug. 27, the Lee County Sheriff's office received a 911 call of a possible drowning victim at Sandy Point Park off of Lee Road 335 on Lake Harding.
When first responders arrived they discovered Charlotte Jean Jacobs, 55, of Smiths Station, unresponsive. Lee County Coroner Bill Harris pronounced Jacobs dead at the scene at 8:05 p.m.
It appears that Jacobs and a friend were canoeing on the lake at the park area when Jacobs fell out of the canoe. She went under after treading water for a few minutes and the friend jumped in to try and save her.
He reportedly performed CPR on Jacobs until EMS arrived but efforts were unsuccessful to revive her and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
The coroner's office says this is an accidental drowning, and alcohol is suspected to be a factor in the incident. Neither Jacobs or her friend were wearing life jackets at the time.
Jacobs' body has been taken to the medical examiner's office of the Alabama Dept. of Forensic Sciences in Montgomery for an autopsy.
The investigation of the incident is still ongoing by the Lee County Sheriff's office, the Lee County Coroner's office, and the Alabama Dept. of Forensic Sciences.
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