LEE’S SUMMIT, Mo. – What was supposed to be a day of fun on the water, turned tragic for a group of teens Saturday.
Lee’s Summit Police said they recovered 16-year-old Emanuel Palmer’s body from Lakewood Lakes.
Search and rescue teams scoured the lake with SONAR equipment looking for the teen.
Jenna Halterman, Palmer’s friend, said she was on the dock when it all happened.
“They just started screaming that our friend is drowning and that we need help,” Halterman said.
Police spokesperson Sgt. Chris Depue said Palmer is from Raytown. Depue said Palmer and his group of friends were not from the area, but swimming at the private lake. He said Palmer was trying to swim across the cove towards another friend around 4:00 p.m.
“Once got close to the gal in the middle of the cove he had some trouble. We’re not sure what kind of difficulty he had swimming there and slipped under the water rather quickly,” Depue said.
Family and friends waited out the entire process of searchers looking for Palmer’s body in up to 20-feet of water.
Friends said Palmer was going to be a junior at Raytown High School and belonged to a tight-knit group there. They said this loss is extremely hard for them.
“When you realize how young he is and then seeing his mom and his sister cry,” Halterman said.
Another friend Nathan Matthews, said Palmer was a star football player. He said Palmer also played soccer.
“He’s in my heart so everywhere he goes, I’m going, you know, so I’m here, he’s here so his name is always going to be around,” Matthews said.
“He’s nice and caring. He’s always there for his friends when you need him and he makes everybdoy laugh when they’re upset and stuff like that. We’re going to miss that,” Halterman said.
Police said the body will now be turned over to the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office.
