Family Rescued from Harpeth River on Easter

harpeth river Photo from Friends of Harpeth River State Park Facebook
Photo from Friends of Harpeth River State Park Facebook (not indicative of where the Easter Sunday rescue occurred)

On Easter Sunday, a mother, her daughter and son, were rescued from the Harpeth River near Cotton Lane when their kayak overturned. A resident noticed their overturned kayak and called to report the incident, said Chief Deputy Mark Elrod.

First responders deputies Blake Simoneaux and Josh Torres from the Williamson County Sherriff’s Department, along with James Bourland from Williamson County EMS, arrived to find the daughter on the shore. The mother and son were found holding on to a tree.

Chief Elrod stated the accident occurred due to kayak striking debris in the river, something commonly found after a large amount of rainfall. Elrod went on to say, this time of the year, the water is often higher and you should always take caution after a storm when enjoying the Harpeth River.

All three were safely rescued due to the quick response and water training of the Williamson County Sherriff’s Department and Williamson County EMS.

Bodycam photos, published by WKRN, show how first responders were able to bring the family to safety. View the body cam photos here.

The above photo comes from Friends of Harpeth River State Park Facebook but is not indicative of where the Easter Sunday rescue occurred.