Updated 5-3-20 at 10 p.m.
CRANE HILL, Ala. – Emergency responders on Sunday night recovered the body of a drowning victim from a pond at a private residence south of the Country Mall store in Crane Hill.
Cullman County Coroner Jeremy L. Kilpatrick identified the victim as Kameron Lee Ford, 21, of Hoover.
A spokesman for the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) said the CCSO dive team assisted the Crane Hill Volunteer Fire Department (CHVFD) in the search.
CHVFD Chief Brandon Williams said, “We got the call about 2:30 this afternoon of a possible drowning at a local private pond off of County Road 201, private land, private pond…a pretty good sized pond.”
According to Williams, when the CHVFD arrived on the scene, responders found out a person had been underwater for approximately 15-20 minutes.
The body was recovered around 8 p.m., about five and a half hours after the victim went under.
“It took us this long because a pond, you can’t see anything, you’re going by feel,” said Williams. “The sheriff’s department arrived on scene, Cullman EMS arrived on scene, and of course the coroner, the Cullman County coroner. The sheriff’s department dive team, along with myself and fire department team members, we all dove together to look for the body.”
Williams said it is unclear why the victim went under. He said there were four people swimming together.
“We don’t know if he had a cramp,” said Williams. “We’re unsure of what happened.”
He said the other swimmers attempted to help, but by the time they got to the victim, he had gone under.
Williams said the water is about 12 to 15 feet deep.
This is a developing story.
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