At approximately 2:48pm on Saturday June 25th, the Winder Police Department, Winder Fire Department and Barrow County EMS responded to the Fort Yargo state park beach area in reference to a report of a child drowning in the designated swim area of the park. Fort Yargo park employees also responded to the scene.
A Winder Police Officer arrived within one minute of the call being dispatched. A citizen visiting the park had already begun CPR efforts on the two year old male child who was unresponsive at the time. A Winder Officer assisted the citizen with the CPR until Barrow County EMS arrived. Barrow County EMS continued the CPR efforts while transporting the child by ambulance to the Barrow Regional Medical Center. Hospital staff and EMS were unable to revive the child and the child was later pronounced deceased at the hospital.
The Winder Police Department continued their investigation through the weekend and have now filed criminal charges against 28 year old Tarnue Kolubah of Winder. Kolubah is a relative of the family and was responsible for watching the child at the time of the incident. Kolubah allegedly left the child unattended in the designated swimming area while he went to another location on the beach. Other family members, who were nearby, later noticed the child was missing. A search of the water was performed and the child was found underwater.
The child’s family has been fully cooperative with authorities in this matter. A department chaplain was contacted and responded for the benefit of the family and the first responders who were involved. The name of the child is being withheld out of respect for the family.
Kolubah has been charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter and one count of cruelty to children in the second degree. He is being held at the Barrow County Detention Center and was issued a $30,000 bond on the two charges this afternoon.