WILLOW LAKE — A tragic accident occurred in the mid-afternoon hours yesterday at Willow Lake Camp when a 12-year-old boy, Eugene Blakely, fell from a tree branch and slipped beneath the surface of the water. Despite frantic efforts by other children and adults on the scene, the boy did not resurface, and his body had not been recovered as of press time.

The mishap took place under a mild late-summer sun, with temperatures in the upper 70s. Witnesses said the lake was calm and the air light with a breeze when the accident occurred.

Campers reported the boy had been climbing a tree with several other children near the shoreline. According to Sam Riley, 12, “We were just climbing. I told him not to go out on that branch. It snapped and he went right down. I tried to dive after him but I couldn’t see anything under there.”

Other boys ran for help while young Riley made repeated attempts to locate his friend under the water. “I can’t find him,” he was heard to cry as he surfaced for air.

Mrs. Birdie Blakely, the boy’s mother and a staff member at the camp, rushed to the scene from the mess hall when told of the trouble. Entering the lake fully clothed, she called out, “I don’t see him! Where is he? Eugene!”

Camp director Philip Riley also entered the water in an attempt to reach the spot where the branch had broken, but he too returned empty-handed. “I can’t find him under that branch,” he told bystanders before contacting authorities.

State Police and ambulance crews were summoned and continued to drag the area of the lake into the evening hours. As of late last night, no body had been recovered.

Counselors described the accident as sudden and unavoidable. “One moment the boys were laughing, the next the branch gave way,” said Mary Anne Greene, one of the counselors who responded.

Another staff member, Miss Gail Rutherford, remarked, “It’s just a terrible shame. Nobody wanted anything like this to happen, though some children are more accident-prone than others.”

The camp community was said to be in shock following the incident. “It was so fast. Nobody thought something like that could happen here,” one worker remarked quietly.

POSSIBLE LEGAL TROUBLE

Local authorities said there may be questions ahead for the camp’s operators. Reports indicated no counselor was present at the lakeshore when the boys began climbing, and investigators will review whether adequate supervision was provided. Legal experts said the Riley family, longtime owners of the camp, could face inquiries into safety standards and liability. As far as charges, Black Ash Police had no comment at this time.

Willow Lake, long a gathering place for summer recreation, has seen few accidents over the years—all of them minor. “They’ve had a clean record for a very long time,” said local Councilman, Ambrose Mikleson. Authorities urged parents and children alike to exercise caution near the water.

Funeral arrangements will be announced when and if the body is recovered.