The search for Macon County High School junior Johnathan Hudson ended on Friday, April 14 when his body was recovered with the help of the Seth Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Shelia Burleson following the drowning death of her son.
Teams of divers spent the last few weeks looking for a body when Hudson fell from a small water craft on Monday, March 27. After 17 days of searching by dive teams and volunteers using private water crafts with drag units, the Seth Foundation sent a six person team equipped with a sonar device. The body was recovered and identified as Hudson.
TWRA Officer Bill Moulton stated the body was found lying on the edge of the old Obey River channel, 108 feet below the surface of Dale Hollow Lake, within 80 feet of where the initial search began.
Hudson, along with other high school students, was on the lake for Spring Break when witnesses reported he fell from the front of a small water craft.
WLCT's Ronnie Mowell reported that a camera crew from The Seth Foundation discovered something at approximately 11:32 a.m. The bottom where they found him was just as smooth as a gym floor; his... body looked like a BB on it, just a little spot the camera picked up. The picture was blown up to reveal that the spot was a body. The area had drag marks all around it where volunteers had used drags, however missed snagging him. At approximately 1:32 p.m. after examining the photos, divers resurfaced with Hudson's body.
The young man's remains were transported to Celina funeral home, then to Nashville for an autopsy. While Hudson's body did have some surface cuts, the cause of death was ruled as a drowning by the local medical examiner.
The family wants to thank everyone who helped in the search for Jonathan and the Seth Foundation for their efforts.
A complete obituary for Johnathan Hudson can be found on page 8C.
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