Two dead after man jumps in water to save 9-year-old cousin, AL officials say
The bodies of a 9-year-old boy and his 26-year-old cousin were found in a quarry after the man tried to rescue the boy from the water in Alabama, according to reports.
Rashad Jackson, 9, and Stephon Gardner, 26, were fishing at a rock quarry June 21 in Midfield when Jackson fell into the water, Midfield Mayor Gary Richardson said, WBRC reported.
Gardner jumped in to help his cousin but did not return to the surface, according to AL.com.
McClatchy News reached out to the Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service on June 23 but did not receive an immediate response.
The service told WIAT that rescuers responded to the incident at about 5 p.m.
The pair’s bodies were recovered the next day using sonar equipment, according to the outlet.
Midfield is about a 10-mile drive southwest from Birmingham.
This story was originally published June 23, 2025 at 1:41 PM with the headline "Two dead after man jumps in water to save 9-year-old cousin, AL officials say."
