Bodies Of Missing Teens Recovered From Oconee County Creek

OCONEE COUNTY, GA — The bodies of two teenagers who went missing in the waters of Barber Creek have been recovered, the Oconee County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday. The bodies of Bryant Wade, 18, of Oconee County and 18-year-old Cameron Smith of Madison County were found around 11 a.m. June 5.

They were both found within five minutes of each other were about 50 to 75 yards apart in McNutt Creek, which is downstream from its confluence with Barber Creek, the sheriff's office said.

"We ask that you respect both of these families," the sheriff's office said on its Facebook page. "Recovery efforts are still under way for one of these young men. We will not provide any details at this time as to those efforts."

(For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here)

Oconee County called in help from surrounding and regional public safety agencies to assist with the search, which began Friday, June 1 when the teens went missing. Area counties lending a hand in the search include Cobb, Madison, Walton, Rabun, Athens-Clarke County, Greene and Oconee County, South Carolina. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources also assisted in the efforts to find both teens.

"We truly appreciate of all of the emergency personnel from other locations who responded to assist in this effort as well as the overwhelming support from the community," the sheriff's office added. "We have become very close with members of both of these families. We hope that they can begin to heal, and we offer the deepest condolences on their respective loss."

Images via Oconee County Sheriff's Office's Facebook page