Toddler drowned in Magnolia Springs

MAGNOLIA SPRINGS, Ala. (WALA) - A family day on a Magnolia River turned tragic when a toddler drowned.

Officials said Lisa Braun and her 3-year-old son, William Martin, were on the river Sunday evening when the toddler disappeared.

“We believe Ms. Braun, along with other individuals, were in the water and the child was actually playing on the shore. After a few minutes, the child went missing,” said Baldwin County Sheriff Huey Mack.

When Braun noticed her son was gone, she began to search for him and was soon joined by residents in the area.

They called the sheriff's department to help as well.

“It was about 7 o’clock when they started hollering and screaming for the kid. People thought he rode home with someone else but that isn’t what happened,” said witness Randall Vinson.

Martin was located underwater 15-20 minutes later by the residents and transported via Life Flight to South Baldwin Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

“People in the community joined in the search to include the water, and it was a resident in the area that found the child under water and pulled the child up,” said Mack.

Officials said there are still more details they need to uncover about the drowning.

“Part of our investigation goes to who was there, how close they were and if any of them had the responsibility for watching out for the child,” said Mack.

The investigation is ongoing with the assistance of the Baldwin County Coroner's Office and authorities said the Department of Human Resources has been contacted as well.

Sheriff’s deputies said there are no other details at this time.