Searchers find body of a man who drowned in Falls Lake, the third death this year

Searchers found the body of a man who reportedly drowned at Falls Lake on Saturday evening, in what is the third such death at the lake this year.

Kenneth Jerome Harris, 28, of Raleigh was found shortly after 2 p.m. Sunday, said Eric Curry, a spokesman for the Wake County Sheriff’s Office. His drowning has been ruled an accident, Curry said.

Deputies were called to Falls Lake, near Ghoston and New Light roads, just before 7 p.m. Saturday, after witnesses said a man submerged underwater and never resurfaced, according to the sheriff’s office.

Harris could not swim, his friends said.

The Wake sheriff’s marine unit searched for Harris with help from boat and dive teams from Durham, Franklin, Lee and Wilson counties. Low visibility underwater hampered rescue efforts, the sheriff’s office said.

Falls Lake, north of Raleigh, has been the site of several drowning deaths over the past year.

In June, a 30-year-old Charlotte man drowned in the lake after he jumped off a boat to retrieve a piece of clothing. And in April, a 19-year-old from Knightdale died.

Last year, an 8-year-old drowned in the lake.

This story was originally published September 5, 2021 at 8:34 AM.