What was intended as a pleasant camping and fishing outing instead turned to tragedy over the weekend as two fishermen presumably drowned in Shearon Harris Lake. One body was recovered from the lake late Saturday; the search resumes today for the other person.
The only witness was 3-year-old Jacobi Jacobs. He is the son of Terry Jacobs, a 32-year-old math teacher from Robeson County, and is the cousin of 14-year-old Tony Locklear, who is also missing.
The child was found unharmed by a fisherman, sitting alone in the Jacobs boat. He was given water and soda, and later reunited with his mother.
Deputy Fire Chief Mark Riggsbee and his crew had a hard time establishing basic facts, such as how long the child had been on the lake. Riggsbee's best guess is that the child had been floating in the boat for more than six hours, since about 7:30 a.m. They believe the three had been camping for several days at lakeside and fishing during the daylight hours.
"Like any 3-year-old, they're afraid, they're scared," Riggsbee said. The boy wouldn't talk to officers, nor provide his name. Rescuers found an ID in the boat and asked the child if that was his father's name. He said it was.
Harris Lake is the reservoir for the Shearon Harris nuclear plant in southwestern Wake County.
Meanwhile, there was another drowning Saturday. A 25-year-old man had been swimming with his family at Jordan Lake. He went under water near the Ebenezer Church boat ramp off US 64. Authorities have not released his name
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