Teen dies after his picnicking family spots him floating in Montana lake, sheriff says
A 14-year-old playing in a Montana lake while his family picnicked died after they found him floating in the water, officials said.
Deputies responded to the Canyon Ferry Lake — near Helena — at 3:52 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 15, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff-Coroner Leo Dutton told McClatchy News.
The boy’s family had been preparing lunch on the lakeside at the Lewis and Clark day use area, Dutton said. They noticed he was missing and spotted him in the water, floating about 10 feet from the shoreline.
Family members tried to perform CPR on him until first responders arrived, Dutton said.
First responders were able to get a pulse after performing CPR on the boy, and they transported him to a hospital in Helena, then another one in Missoula, Dutton said.
The teen, identified as Kayden Bitter, died from “complications due to drowning” on Aug. 16, Dutton said.
He was not wearing a life jacket in the lake, Dutton said.
“Always wear a life jacket. It may seem shallow, but waters in Montana are typically colder and accidents can happen where you end up in the water and drown in a very little amount. So please wear your life jacket any time you are recreating,” Dutton told McClatchy News.
This story was originally published August 18, 2022 at 10:36 AM with the headline "Teen dies after his picnicking family spots him floating in Montana lake, sheriff says."
