West Plains, MO. – The remains of a man from Moody who had disappeared on Sunday near Hammond Camp in Ozark County were located Monday morning.
Sunday afternoon at 3:45 p.m., Ryan McGee, age 21 of Moody, Missouri had enjoying time with family near Hammond Camp when he waded into the North Fork of the White River to save his brother who had been caught in the current and did not resurface. Multiple emergency crews, including the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Ozark County Sheriff, and multiple fire departments searched for the man on the river and found his body 14 hours later, around 8 a.m. Monday morning.
This marks the second drowning fatality for Troop G in 2022, compared to one in 2021.
The Ozark County Sheriff Cass Martin released the following statement on the incident:
“On September 4, 2022 at approximately 3:45pm, Ozark County Dispatch received an emergency call of a drowning at Hammond Camp access. First Responders, along with the Ozark County Sheriff Department responded to the scene and were unable to locate the victim, later identified as Ryan McGee.
The Region G Mobile Command Center was dispatched to the scene along with Ozark County Sheriff Department, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Fire Departments from Dora, Bakersfield, Lick Creek, Tecumseh, Ozark County Ambulance and Rangers from the National Forest.
A search of the area and waterway began and continued into the night.
On September 5, 2022 at approximately 7:35am, Ryan McGee was recovered near the location where he had initially went missing.
Ozark County Sheriff Department thanks all agencies involved and we express our sincere condolences to the McGee family.”
A GoFundMe account has been set up for final expenses of Ryan McGee,
link here.
