TAZEWELL, Va. (WVNS) – Two people were found dead in a river in Tazewell County on Friday, February 3, 2023.
Major Harold Heatley with the Sheriff’s Department said the Tazewell County 911 Center received a call from a mother in the Mountain Moore Road area reporting the father of the child, Dakota Cochran took his child into a wooded area.
The Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office, Virginia State Police, and the Cedar Bluff Police Department responded and searched the area for the two people.
Law enforcement found the male and a two-year-old child in the river below the home. The man, Dakota Cochran was pronounced dead at the scene.
Troopers and Deputies performed CPR and sent the child to Carillion Tazewell Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
“This is a tragic incident, our prayers are with the family and the amazing First Responders that did the best that they could do to save that child’s life. The staff at Carillon Tazewell Community Hospital fought desperately to also revive the child and should be commended for their efforts as well,” Sheriff Brian Hieatt said.
Hieatt adds critical incident debriefings will be held over the next few days to help the first responders deal with this incident.
This incident is still under investigation.
