WJBF

Residents say lifeguards needed at Clark Hills Lake after 3 siblings drown

THOMSON, GA ( WJBF) — Thursday, three siblings went under the waters of Clarks Hill Lake and never came back up.

Oh its terrible. Its absolutely terrible,” Keloris Gunter said.

22-year-old Raven Powell, 4-year-old Mason Powell and 3-year-old Sawyer Powell all drowned at the Amity Recreation Area.

GBI investigators said they were called to the lake around 9:30pm when they found the bodies.

Around the recreation area there are signs posted alerting swimmers that there are no lifeguards.

Some people said they want to see lifeguards on duty to prevent more drownings from happening.

“There needs to be someone who can at least look around and go around these beaches,” Gunter said.

Others said with the lake becoming more crowded during the summer it can be easy for parents to get distracted.

” The locations where the tables are are far away from the beachside so its difficult for parents to watch their kids while their kids are swimming and the parents are cooking or other parents are playing. Its hard for them to watch the kids,” Kimberly Hernandez said.

Making it all the more important for lifeguards to keep a watchful eye.

” A lot of kids want to play outside with their family and there’s nobody watching the kids. Some families are busy with one kid when they have several kids so they can’t be with one kid all the time. So its a high risk without life guards,” Hernandez said.

The bodies have been sent to the crime lab for an autopsy.

The GBI is investigating the drowning.