Two Charlotte women drowned after being pulled from Lake Wateree in Kershaw County just after 3 p.m. on Friday, turning the long Fourth of July weekend into a heartbreaking scene on the water. The Kershaw County Coroner identified the women as 27-year-old Elena Walrod and 34-year-old Hannah Riley. Walrod was pronounced dead at the scene, while Riley was taken to a hospital and later died. Coroner officials said the official cause of death for both women is pending final autopsy results.
Scene And Response
Multi-agency crews, including Kershaw County Fire Service, Kershaw County EMS, the sheriff’s office and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, rushed to the White Heron Road area in the Liberty Hill section of the lake. By the time first responders arrived, both women had already been pulled from the water. Crews remained at the scene for hours before clearing it later that evening, and the coroner’s office is now assisting with the ongoing investigation, according to WIS News 10.
Victims Identified
The Kershaw County Coroner confirmed that the victims were Walrod, 27, and Riley, 34, both residents of Charlotte. Walrod died at the lake, while Riley was transported for medical treatment and later pronounced dead at the hospital. Officials said it was not immediately clear whether the two women knew each other, according to WBTV. Final autopsy findings will determine the official cause of death for each woman.
Lake Wateree Safety And Recent Recoveries
This latest incident is part of a troubling pattern at Lake Wateree this summer. Divers with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and local rescue crews recovered a man from the lake in mid-June, and another body was recovered there on June 19, as reported by ABC Columbia. The lake itself is a sprawling, man-made reservoir of roughly 13,000 acres, with deep channels and shifting depths that can make searches difficult and dangerous, according to The State.
Investigation Ongoing
Authorities say the deaths of Walrod and Riley remain under active investigation, and the coroner’s office will release autopsy results once they are complete. Investigators have not shared additional details about what led up to the drownings, according to WBTV.
