Man saved 8-year-old boy just before he drowned in Little River, Zebulon police say

A Wake County man drowned at Little River Park on Sunday evening after he jumped in the water to save an 8-year-old boy, according to town police.

Jeremie Dale Earp, 36, was at the park with a large group of friends when he noticed Jackson Picarella having trouble staying afloat shortly after 6 p.m. Police say Earp went in the water and moved Jackson close enough to the bank that someone else was able to pull him out.

But then Earp had trouble swimming and went under, police say. When he did not resurface, several people jumped in the water to find him. Police say several minutes passed before Earp was found at the bottom of the water and was brought to shore.

When police arrived, several people were attempting to perform CPR. Officers began to help, joined a short time later by members of the fire department and EMS. Police say CPR continued for nearly an hour before Earp was pronounced dead.

Earp and the boy were in the same group, so Earp knew who he was, said Zebulon Police Chief Timothy Hayworth. Jackson was swimming in a large pool of water just below a dam that was partially breached during Hurricane Matthew, Hayworth said.

“The child was trying swim across from one side to the other and got out there in the middle and then got into trouble,” he said.

Earp, who was self-employed, lived on Baucom Road, southeast of Raleigh. Jackson lived outside Selma in Johnston County.

This story was originally published July 2, 2018 at 11:56 AM.