A tragic boating mishap claimed the lives of a Stark County father and his young son on a Florida lake, as confirmed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
Identified by the FWC, the victims were 36-year-old Wayne Raber and his 4-year-old son, Josiah Raber, both residents of Wilmont.
The FWC commenced an inquiry subsequent to receiving a report regarding a singular vessel boating accident occurring behind the water treatment plant on Ward Lake in Manatee County on April 13.
In response to the incident, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office also dispatched personnel to the site.
On the day of the incident, one body was discovered in the water adjacent to a boat, as per the FWC.
On April 15, the FWC reported the retrieval of the second body from the water, in the vicinity of the initial occurrence.
The FWC has initiated an ongoing investigation to ascertain the cause of the incident.