Published: July 22, 2008 12:27 pm      

Weekend drowning victim identified

Friend’s mother: Passing boat’s wake caused raft to overturn

Officials have identified the 15-year-old boy who drowned in Lake Pat Cleburne on Friday as Charles Gerard Kibodeaux of Alvarado.

Rescue workers recovered Kibodeaux’s body about 12:30 p.m. Sunday.

A second boy, Joshua Furhman, 16, of Alvarado was transported to Harris Methodist Walls Regional Hospital where he was treated and released.

Cleburne fire and police officials responded to the east shore of Lake Pat Cleburne about 6:30 p.m. Friday in reference to a possible drowning.

Kibodeaux and Furhman had been swimming south of the main boat launch about 50-60 yards offshore, according to CFD reports. A witness told firefighters the boys had an inflatable raft, which somehow got away from them. The wind blew the raft farther away and they could not catch it, according to CFD reports.

The wake caused by a speed boat that passed within 20 feet knocked the boys off their air raft, said Christine Marsh, Furhman’s mother. They then struggled in the water as the wind blew the raft away, Marsh said.

The witness, who could not swim, stopped a man on a motorcycle, she said. The motorcyclist pulled Furhman, who was under water and drowning, to the shore, Marsh said, and returned to search for Kibodeaux.

Marsh said she and David Parker, Kibodeaux’s father, want to thank the motorcyclist but do not know his name.

Furhman remains emotionally traumatized by the event and loss of his friend but is well physically, Marsh said.

The boat passed close enough to the raft that Furhman could clearly see the driver’s face and describe the boat, Marsh said, and they intend to talk to police about the incident.

Divers with CFD searched for Kibodeaux until about 10:30 p.m. Friday. They remained at the lake throughout the night and searched the lake with a boat and spotlight.

Texas game wardens from Johnson and Hill counties and CareFlite personnel also assisted in the search. Using sonar, a game warden identified four possible locations. Firefighters recovered Kibodeaux’s body at about 12:30 p.m. Saturday about 80 yards off shore in about eight feet of water.