Incident # 23-03112 - Rescue crews from Fire-Rescue, the Sheriff's Office, DNR and the Coast Guard, spent three days on the Edisto River searching for a 5 year old girl that went missing Sunday evening around 19:37. The child was in the water with other children when the current took her down stream and under the water. She was not wearing a floatation device. Sunday evening, crews searched the area around Mars Old Field Landing with boats equipped with sonar, lights and thermal imaging equipment. Divers attempted to search in the swift, debris filled waters until dark, but conditions became unsafe. The Coast Guard responded and flew the area also using a variety of detection equipment. The child was not found. Crews from several agencies continued to search through the night and all day Monday, also searching as far south as Good Hope Landing. On Tuesday, crews continued to search the Edisto River at the Landing and south of the Landing. The current was swift throughout the duration of the search and visibility in the river was zero. The Edisto River is one of the longest black water rivers in the US. Tuesday afternoon, a Fire-Rescue Diver using an Aquaeye handheld sonar device, spotted something about 20 feet from where the child was last seen. While searching in a debris littered area, the child's body was recovered. The Coroner's Office responded to the scene, then transported the child. The recovery was a huge team effort by all agencies involved who spent three days searching the river.
Engine 9, Engine 36, Dive 1, Dive 102, Marine 1, Battalion 1, Car 105, Car 107 and Car 119 responded. The Sheriff's Office and DNR responded with several boats and divers. The Coast Guard responded with a helicopter on Sunday.