News-Democrat
Two children and an adult woman drowned overnight in a St. Clair County lake, according to Capt. Steve Johnson.
The bodies of Kathy Baxmeyer, 40, of unincorporated Waterloo, her son, Kadin Baxmeyer, 7, and family friend Steven (Austin) Baum, 6, of Waterloo, were recovered Saturday morning from a lake on the Baxmeyer's residence on Loehr Road.
"Although initial indications and evidence point to a tragic accident where three people fell through ice and drowned, we are in the process of conducting a thorough death investigation," Johnson said.
Steven's mother reported her son missing shortly after midnight after repeated attempts to reach Kathy Baxmeyer's cell phone were unsuccessful.
It was Kadin's seventh birthday and Kathy Baxmeyer was supposed to the take the two boys to the movies to celebrate.
When deputies began investigating, they found boots and gloves near a lake close to the Baxmeyer's home. A police dog tracked the smell from the clothing into the lake, where a hole through the ice was visible.
Smithton, Hecker and Swansea fire departments responded.
The bodies were recovered from 12-foot-deep water after crews spent several hours diving.
All three drowning victims were pronounced dead between 3:30 and 4:30 a.m. by Preston Becker, St. Clair County Preston Becker. The bodies were transported to St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Belleville for autopsies.
"This is a sad reminder of the dangers of children and ice-covered lakes," Johnson said. "Our hearts go out to the victims' families."
