An 18-year-old man who went missing after going kayaking on Lake McLeod in Eagle Lake on Sunday has been found dead, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office confirmed.
Aaron Tillman and a 19-year-old woman were kayaking about 150 yards from shore in water that was about 12 to 15 feet deep when he disappeared in the water.
Deputies of the marine unit found Tillman’s body around 5:12 a.m. on Monday in a 13-ft deep area of the lake.
Tillman went kayaking with the 19-year-old woman who saw him struggling in the water to stay afloat. She and a witness tried to help, but say Tillman “disappeared in the water.”
According to her, she could not tell if he fell or intentionally jumped into the water.
Tillman, a student at Ambassadors Christian Academy of Winter Haven, is a member of the school’s football and wrestling teams.
Meanwhile, Tillman’s family revealed that he could not swim and had never gone kayaking in his life. Neither Tillman nor his female companion wore life jackets.
Sheriff Grady Judd spoke following the discovery by the marine unit.
“Please continue to keep his family and friends in your prayers during this incredibly difficult time,” Judd said.