Good Samaritans Help First Responders Save Children, Teens From Mississippi River Near Silver Street – Mississippi's Best Community Newspaper

NATCHEZ — Natchez Police Officer Kajlil Jenkins said every resource they could find, including civilians, came quickly to help rescue three juveniles from the Mississippi River on Silver Street Sunday afternoon.

One of the victims, a 16-year-old girl who was trying to save her younger brothers from drowning, was “in the water for a good 20 or 25 minutes,” Jenkins said.

He saw people in the water before anyone could call 911 and called them on his radio around 5:30 p.m.

Seven-year-old Lakeithius “Eli” Brashears reportedly slipped on a wet sidewalk and fell into the water. His brother Lakeivion Brashears, 8, and sister Jaila Tobias, 16, jumped in after him.

Doug Pruett of Montgomery, Alabama, said he and his wife Judy were eating at a nearby restaurant for their 25th anniversary and saw the commotion. He and another man whose name he did not know managed to get the two younger children out safely. Tobias, however, was caught in the current and carried out of their reach about 250 yards, authorities said.

Natchez Fire Chief Robert Arrington said that while first responders were on their way to the river, they spotted civilians Jackson Moody and Taylor Little at Fat Mama's Tamales on Canal Street with a boat on a trailer and their asked to help them.

Authorities also asked another civilian, Jake Meriwether, to stop with his boat and he did, but it was not necessary.

Moody and Little “were able to put their boat in the water and get her out,” Arrington said, adding, “She’s on her way to the (Merit Health) hospital.” She was conscious but didn't feel well at all. She drank a lot of river water but we expect her to be fine.

Arrington said the youths were very fortunate that civilians were there, some with boats, to reach them quickly.

“The teenager was too far away and I knew very well that I couldn't swim that well,” Pruett added.