Toddler's Body Recovered After Illinois River Drowning

Search and recovery teams are searching for a toddler who went missing in the Illinois River Saturday.

Saturday, May 16th 2015, 10:09 pm

By: News On 6

Toddler's Body Recovered After Illinois River Drowning

Officials have recovered the body of a 2 year old who drowned in the Illinois River on Saturday.

The search was suspended on Saturday because of darkness, but the search resumed on Sunday. By late afternoon, the body was recovered about 3/4 of a mile from where the child entered in the water, officials said.

According to a captain with the Rangers Division of the Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission, the toddler wandered into the river and was swept downstream in a swift current.

Capt. Bill James said two women with three children stopped at a gravel bank near the bridge about 4 p.m.

The women were preoccupied with something and were not watching the children, James said, and the toddler wandered off into the river. The other two children are ages 4 and 5.

Search and recovery teams were at the Highway 62 Illinois River Bridge outside of Tahlequah.

OHP's Lake Patrol, Welling Fire Department and Tahlequah Fire Department assisted in the search.