A 15-year-old Monroe County boy had gone for a swim under a bridge in the Tombigbee River in Monroe County on Tuesday afternoon, but the summertime outing turned tragic, according to Monroe County authorities.
Witnesses said the boy, Tavaris Lashawn Shelton, of Verona, ventured farther and farther into the river. Then he disappeared.
When Alan Gurley, who has been coroner of Monroe County for 18 years, heard witnesses” statements about the circumstances of Shelton”s drowning in the Tombigbee River, he said he knew right away it was accidental.
“There was no reason to believe there was any kind of foul play,” Gurley said this morning. He did not order an autopsy.
Belle Funeral Home is handling the boy”s funeral arrangements.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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