At approximately 8:00 pm on 7/2/23 i was patrolling lake stillhouse with game warden and army corps of engineers rangers. I received a call from bell county dispatch that a child had been hit by a boat prop and her life jacket was wrapped around the prop. They were in the vicinity of the dam close to the water intake. 

Before arriving to the scene of the accident a good samaritan heard the screams and helped retrieve the girl from the prop. He then took the girl onto his boat and proceeded to stillhouse marina, i arrived at the same time. A short time later the boat with both parents arrived.  

 

From the witnesses onboard they stated that the victim and a male child were riding on a tube behind the boat and fell into the water. The operator then went to retrieve the male child because they thought he was struggling in the water. 

As their attention was on the male child the mother stated she no longer saw her daughter but did see a lot of blood on the water. That is when the operator, the victims father, saw her and her lifejacket wrapped in the prop. He attempted to cut her free and that is when a good samaritan arrived to help. The good samaritan then put the victim onto his boat and took her to stillhouse marina. She was pronounced dead a short time later by judge.

0696 STILLHOUSE HOLLOW
Harker Heights                