On Sunday, 8/27/23, at 2109 hrs, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call regarding a male and female in distress who were kayaking on Delmoe Lake. The reporting party who was on shore advised they heard a male yelling for help and that “they” were drowning. Immediately, a Jefferson County Sheriff Deputy was dispatched to the scene along with Jefferson Valley EMS, Jefferson Valley Search and Rescue, and Butte LifeFlight. A mutual aid request was also sent to Gallatin County Search and Rescue for their boat and dive team. After emergency services arrived on scene, it was determined the male and female were on a single person kayak with a dog. The kayak tipped over and subsequently the male and female went into the water. Neither were wearing life jackets. The male was able to swim to the opposite shore, but the female remained unaccounted for. LifeFlight subsequently located the female in the water and Jefferson Valley Search and Rescue was able to recover the female from the water utilizing their own watercraft. The victim was identified as 20-year-old Abigail Richards, a resident of Butte, and she was pronounced deceased at the scene.
