Sheriff’s office investigating drowning death of Whitesides Road woman

NC GAZETTE / WBRT RADIO
STAFF REPORT

Monday, Feb. 16, 2015, 10 p.m. — The Nelson County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the apparent drowning death of a 57-year-old woman who is believed to have fallen into a cistern at a Cox’s Creek area residence.

Nelson County EMS, Bardstown Fire, the Northeast Nelson Fire Department and police were dispatched at the home in the 1800 block of Whitesides Road at 3:06 p.m. for a report of a woman who had fallen into a well while retrieving water.

In a statement to the media late Monday night, Nelson County Sheriff Ed Mattingly said foul play was not suspected in the death. The final cause of death will be determined by the State Medical Examiner’s office.

Louisville media reported Monday evening that the home did not have running water, and the woman was getting water from the well at the time of the accident.

Poor road conditions hampered first-responders initial response; firefighters used four-wheel drive trucks to access the driveway and the home, which was located several hundred feet off the main road. Firefighters described the cistern as 16 feet deep with approximately 14 feet of water.

The woman’s name has not been released pending notification of family members.

-30-