Teenager drowns at Stephens Lake

The teen was diving in a prohibited area.

By Kathleen Pointer

Published Aug. 29, 2008

Columbia resident Jared Isaiah Healea, 17, drowned Thursday afternoon while swimming in Stephens Lake.

"He was diving off of the railing on the area in a prohibited location," Columbia Police Department Capt. Stephen Monticelli said. "The area was clearly marked with no swimming and no fishing buoys."

Healea was swimming with several other people off a small pavilion located in the middle of the lake at the time of the call.

"They thought he was kidding around when he went under and didn't come back up," Monticelli said. "They called 911, which got fire, police and other emergency workers to the scene."

The Columbia Fire Department was the first to respond to the call which came in at approximately 5:10 p.m., fire department Capt. Eric Hartman said. Firefighters pulled Healea from the water approximately 16 minutes after receiving the call.

"It was a very aggressive and well-executed rescue," Hartman said. "We train on an annual basis and the department had trained for that very scenario last month."

Hartman said Healea was pulled from a water depth of approximately 8 feet. Healea was then transported in critical condition to an area hospital where he was later pronounced dead, Monticelli said.

Police said the case is still undergoing investigation.