On July 4, 2015, at 5 PM, Yavapai County Sheriff deputies were dispatched to the Beasley Flat recreation area on the Verde River southeast of Camp Verde, located in the Coconino National Forest. The initial report came from an uninvolved third party saying that a teenager had been swimming in the river and disappeared. Several people were looking for him, but were unsuccessful so far. Deputies began immediately coordinating additional personnel to assist including DPS Ranger helicopter, Yavapai County Sheriff Rescue Team Backcountry Unit, and Volunteers in Protection. Camp Verde Fire District crews had already deployed and called out their Swift Water Rescue Team. Around 5:45 PM, four members of their team went into the water where the boy was last seen and about 15 minutes later, he was located down river in about 4 feet of water at the river bottom. He was brought out of the water with no signs of life and pronounced deceased from apparent drowning.
Deputies interviewed the victim’s uncle near the scene who told them he had taken his 8-year-old nephew to the east side of the river to look at some caves up on the cliff. They swam across the river, looked at the caves and started back across the river about 30 min. later. As they were nearing the shore the uncle, who was apparently carrying the boy on his shoulders, stepped in a deep hole and both went underwater. The uncle swam to the shore and turned back to get his nephew but he could not reach him. The boy slipped from sight and was not seen again. The uncle began screaming for help and a nearby citizen called 911, but could offer very little information as he was not a witness to the incident. Several people nearby helped to look for the boy but they were unable to find him in the river or on the shore.
The boy’s mother was at home in Prescott Valley when the incident happened. She was escorted to the scene and briefed about the circumstances regarding her son’s death. A member of the Trauma Intervention Program (TIPS) arrived to aid the family with counseling services following this tragic incident.