Woman drowns in Lake Gaston

A woman drowned while babysitting a child at Lake Gaston Friday afternoon, according to the Halifax County Sheriff's Office.

A deputy recovered the body of Nancy Higgins, who was in her 50s, after receiving a missing persons call, Lt. George Evans said.

He said that authorities were called after a resident found a young child alone on a dock in the Myrick Estates subdivision.

Higgins was apparently babysitting the child and went swimming, but what caused her to drown was unclear, Evans said.