BROSELEY — A Dexter woman drowned Sunday afternoon while swimming in the St. Francis River near Broseley.
At about 6:15 p.m., Barbara R. Reese and a man with her were swimming in the river, six miles east of Broseley off of Highway U, explained Missouri State Highway Patrol Cpl. Richie Ayers.
“On U Highway, there is a bridge that crosses the river and a road down to it,” said Ayers, who indicated the pair were swimming, while another three to four people were fishing.
A short time after entering the river, Ayers said, Reese began to struggle, submerged and never resurfaced.
The river, according to Ayers is about 3 feet higher than normal right now, with eddies.
“They were in the back eddy,” Ayers said. “ … The current was significant as compared to normal.”
Ayers said the river looks to be in “small flood” stage.
“Usually there is nothing there; you can see all the big rocks under the bridge,” he said. “You couldn’t even see them this time.”
Ayers said Reese apparently hit the current, which caused her go under about 30 feet off the bank.
“They guy with her started yelling for help” and tried unsuccessfully to get Reese to the bank, said Ayers, who indicated one of the fishermen was able to get Reese out.
“When (the fisherman) went and got her, it was 50 feet off bank, maybe more,” Ayers said.
That location was “several yards below where she got into trouble,” Ayers said.
Ayers estimated the water depth at 8 feet.
“She was 5 feet 1, that’s a significant deal (water depth) with the current,” Ayers said.
Once Reese was on shore, Ayers said, CPR was begun and emergency-medical-services personnel continued CPR upon their arrival; however, “nothing was successful.”
Reese, 52, was pronounced dead at scene by Butler County Coroner Andy Moore at 7:49 p.m.
Earlier in the day, a 25-year-old Wright City, Mo., man was injured in a reported near drowning in Big Creek at Sam A. Baker State Park in Wayne County.
According to a patrol report, at 1:06 p.m. Sunday, Martin E. Diego dove into the water and became excited due to the unexpected depth.
Diego reportedly began to struggle for additional breath and after inhaling water, he was recovered by a family member.