Investigators searching for answers following drowning at Laurel Lake

Rescuers set up along the Laurel Lake Spillway beach area to investigate a drowning.

Whitley County officials are awaiting the results of a toxicology test on the man who drown Sunday at Laurel Lake.

Coroner Andy Croley said there is no question that 26-year-old Robert Young drown, but he wants to rule out the use of drugs and/or alcohol as a contributing factor.

“The family said he hadn’t been drinking,” Croley said, adding that Young’s mother said he wasn’t a very good swimmer.

The call to Whitley County 911 came in about 7:30 p.m. According to reports, Young was swimming near a buoy that marks the limits of the swimming area at the lake’s spillway when he went under and did not resurface.

Witnesses reported that Young and another man were swimming from the beach to the buoy. When the other man got back to the shoreline, Young was still out by the buoy and appeared to be in trouble.

The witnesses said by-standers initially believed Young was playing. The other man shouted that Young was serious and began yelling for a floatation device to help Young. Before help could arrive, Young went underwater and did not resurface.

Woodbine Search and Rescue, the U.S. Forest Service along with the Laurel County Rescue Squad put boats on the water to the area. Officials said the lake where Young went underwater is about 70 feet deep.

The man’s family was at the scene but declined to comment about the incident.

As the search continued around 10 p.m., Young’s mother approached the shoreline, visibly upset.

"Bring my son to me," the woman shouted.

Whitley County Sheriff’s deputies approached the woman to calm her down, explaining that emergency personnel were doing all they could to find her son.

The body was recovered about 1 a.m. Monday.

“It was right where he went down near the buoy in 38 feet of water,” Croley said.

The U.S. Forest Service, Woodbine Search and Rescue, Laurel County Rescue Squad, Whitley County Sheriff’s Department, Whitley County Emergency Management Bald Rock Fire Department, Oak Grove Fire Department and Whitley County EMS all responded to the scene.