A White Pine mother died Sunday morning after leaping into a storm-swollen culvert to try to rescue her young son, according to authorities. The child survived, but rescue crews later found the woman lodged inside the culvert, and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Scene and timeline
The Grainger County Sheriff's Office says deputies were dispatched to Round Barn Road in Powder Springs at about 11:20 a.m. after reports that a person had been pulled into a culvert by fast-moving water. Sheriff James Harville identified the victim as 39-year-old Mary Evelyn Nicole Manning-Kellione and said she jumped into the culvert after her son. The child resurfaced at the other end of the culvert and only then realized his mother was missing. Rescue personnel later found Manning-Kellione lodged inside the culvert, and she was pronounced dead. Authorities have not released additional information about the incident, as reported by WVLT.
Storms and warnings
The tragedy unfolded in the middle of heavy thunderstorms that rolled across parts of East Tennessee Sunday morning, triggering rapid runoff and localized flooding. The National Weather Service in Morristown had issued flash flood warnings and flood watches for Grainger, Knox, Jefferson, and nearby counties, cautioning residents about one to three inches of rain and the danger of sudden rises in creeks and culverts. The agency regularly urges motorists and residents to stay away from flooded roadways, using the slogan “Turn around, don't drown,” because submerged culverts can conceal powerful and potentially deadly currents, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown.
Response and recovery
Several local agencies rushed to the scene, including Grainger County EMS, the Grainger County Volunteer Rescue Squad, the Washburn and Blaine volunteer fire departments, and the Union County Volunteer Rescue Squad. Crews worked to reach Manning-Kellione and recover her from the culvert, but she was found lodged inside and later died at the scene. The response timeline and list of agencies were released by the sheriff's office, as reported by WVLT.
What officials say
Sheriff Harville's office has not released further details about the circumstances or whether an investigation will follow. Officials are asking anyone with information to contact the Grainger County Sheriff's Office. More about the department is available on the county website at the Grainger County Sheriff's Office.
