STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. -- A 20-year-old Stafford man drowned in Abel Lake Tuesday evening, the Stafford Sheriff’s Office reported.
The drowning victim was identified as Bernard Otoo.
Otoo, investigators said, jumped from a rock into the water. After briefly resurfacing, he went back under the water and never came up.
“The Sheriff’s Office Dive Team and Unmanned Aircraft Systems Team in conjunction with Fire and Rescue boats began searching the area for the victim,” a sheriff’s office spokesperson said. “Deputies at the scene interviewed the group of friends that had accompanied the victim to the lake..
Crews found Otoo's body at about 8:30 p.m. Emergency crews were called to the lake at about 5:48 p.m.
“Detectives are continuing the investigation, but the incident appears to be a tragic accident,” the spokesperson continued. “Our deepest condolences are with those who are enduring this tragic incident.”
