13-year-old drowns during flash flooding in Joplin
Update: A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help the family of John Wheeler with his funeral expenses: https://www.gofundme.com/f/funeral-expenses-for-family-of-john-wheeler
A 13-year-old boy from Carl Junction drowned Saturday morning during flash flooding in Joplin.
John D. Wheeler fell into a drainage ditch between Main Street and Murphy Boulevard and was swept away by the current, according to an incident report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
A news release from the Joplin Police Department said Wheeler was walking by the water when he slipped in just before 9 a.m.
Joplin police officers located him in the area of the north low water bridge off Murphy Boulevard, the release said. Joplin officers pulled him from the water and started life-saving measures.
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Wheeler was transported to Freeman West Hospital in Joplin, where he was pronounced dead at 10:27 a.m. Saturday, the Highway Patrol incident report said.
The Joplin Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol are conducting an investigation into the death.
Saturday afternoon, a tweet from the Carl Junction Schools' Twitter account said: "It is with heavy hearts that we share with you that one of our 8th Grade students died today in flash flood waters. Please keep this young man's family and friends in your thoughts and prayers. As more details are available, we will share them by email and phone calls to parents."
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