COLUMBUS, Ind. — Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers, accompanied by representatives of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the Indiana State Police, said the body of 2-year-old Emma Sweet was found in the East Fork White River at about 11 a.m. Sunday morning by ISP divers.
Photo provided This photo of 2-year-old Emma Sweet in her car seat was provided by Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department when they issued an alert Friday morning that she was missing.
The girl’s body was found about 2 1/2 miles downstream from where her father Jeremy Sweet’s submerged truck was found at 6 a.m. Friday in the river, and about a 1/2 mile downstream from where Emma’s jacket was found by citizens searching the riverbank on Saturday.
Investigators said a firefighter searching the riverbank saw Emma in the water and called for the divers for the recovery. The girl’s body was found caught by a debris field in the river, but was visible from the surface, DNR officials said.
Sonar was used to map the scene for evidence purposes before Indiana State Police divers Blake Litmer, of the Versailles post, and Taylor Lowry, of the Bloomington post, made the recovery. Both divers attended the press conference but declined to speak to reporters.
The Bartholomew County Coroner’s office has taken custody of Emma, who was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital, where her father, Jeremy Sweet, remains in critical condition suffering from hypothermia and frostbite.
During a press conference at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, the girl’s uncle, Bryan O’Neal, expressed appreciation for all the agencies who worked together Friday, Saturday and Sunday to find his niece “to bring her home.”
O’Neal said the family was grateful for the outpouring of love and support.
Speaking through tears, he specifically thanked the divers (from the DNR and Indiana State Police) for their searching.
“We got her home,” he said, before leaving the podium.
For more on this story, see Monday’s Republic.
