VERSAILLES, Ind. — The body of a teenager who went missing in an Indiana state park Friday was recovered from Versailles Lake in southeastern Indiana.
At 6:50 p.m. on Sunday, March 17, Indiana Conservation Officers said they had recovered the body of 18-year-old Carson Hughes from Versailles Lake. Hughes' body was found in six feet of water after utilizing divers and sonar. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
An autopsy Monday morning determined Hughes' preliminary cause of death was from probable cold-water drowning. A final autopsy report and cause of death are pending toxicology results.
According to several Facebook posts made by Indiana Thermal Recovery, Hughes was last seen in Versailles State Park in Ripley County on March 15.
One post reported Hughes' truck and kayak were still at the park, and his camera was still on a tripod "near a pond right off the main lake" in the park.
"Something isn't right," the post stated.
Indiana DNR said the keys to Hughes' truck were inside the unlocked vehicle. The kayak was on the water near a boat ramp.
Officers searched for Hughes both on land and in the water, using thermal and side-scan sonar technology, Indiana DNR said.
The search was called off for the night Friday due to darkness.
The Ripley County Sheriff's Office posted about the search, asking the public to stay away from the park until further notice.
"We understand that members of the public want to help, however due to high water conditions, we are asking that you allow the officers to work. The search area could create hazards that could divert our resources away from the primary search," the post read.
Multiple agencies from around the region, including Indiana State Police and Indiana Excise Police, assisted in the search effort.
Local media outlet The 812 reports Hughes is a student at Jac-Cen-Del High School in Osgood, Indiana, about 70 miles southeast of Indianapolis. The outlet also reported the high school opened its doors Friday night for members of the community who wished to join a vigil praying for Hughes' safe return.