8:15 p.m.
Bartholomew County Coroner Clayton Nolting said there are no signs of foul play in the death of an unidentified woman found in the East Fork White River early Wednesday afternoon by a kayaker.
The cause of death is pending the results of an autopsy conducted Wednesday afternoon at Columbus Regional Hospital. Nolting said toxicology tests are pending and cause and manner of death will not be available until those test results are completed.
Investigators are continuing to determine the victim’s identity, DNR officials said. If you have any information about this incident, please call Indiana DNR Dispatch Center at 812-837-9536.
This story will be updated.
4:35 p.m. update
The Bartholomew County Coroner’s office said the body recovered from the East Fork White river Wednesday afternoon is a middle-age white female who is currently unidentified. No identification was found with the body, according to the coroner’s office.
The body has been taken to Columbus Regional Hospital for an autopsy this afternoon, said Coroner Clayton Nolting.
The woman was found clothed, but there was no evidence she had been kayaking or swimming and Nolting said it is unknown how long she had been in the river when she was found by a male kayaker on the East Fork White River, south of the boat ramp off of Water Street.
Facial recognition technology will be used to help identify the woman, Nolting said.
An autopsy was also scheduled Wednesday afternoon for a male who was found at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday morning in shallow water near a river bank at the Lowell fishing site. The individual, who has been identified, is believed to be a death by suicide, according to Nolting.
The two cases are believed to be completely separate, Nolting said.
The Republic has reached out to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the sheriff’s department for additional details.
This story will be updated.
3:40 P.M. UPDATE
The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department has confirmed a body has been recovered from the East Fork White River. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources is also on the scene.
ORIGINAL STORY
COLUMBUS, Ind. — The Bartholomew County Water Rescue Team is searching the East Fork White River near downtown Columbus after a body was reported in the water, reported to police by a kayaker.
Bartholomew County Sheriff Chris Lane said the department’s airboat is on the water, launching from the Water Street boat ramp in downtown Columbus, which has been blocked off by first responders at this time.
The incident has been ongoing since about 1:30 p.m.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources is dispatching personnel to the scene, Lane said.
This is the second report of a body found in water in two days, according to first responders. On Tuesday morning, Bartholomew County Sheriff deputies began an investigation into a male found dead in shallow water near a river bank at the Lowell fishing site. Investigators believe it is a death by suicide and no foul play is suspected, deputies said. And autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon for the individual, whose identity is being withheld pending notification of relatives.
This story will be updated.
