Hypothermia killed south Ga. teen lost in woods

DARIEN, Ga. -- A 15-year-old McIntosh County boy who was found dead Monday in a rugged state hunting area drowned as the result of hypothermia, preliminary autopsy results showed Tuesday.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources rangers found Daniel Head's body in the swampy woods of Altamaha Wildlife Management Area Monday afternoon after a 12-hour search.

The teen was lying face down in 12 to 18 inches of water. Dressed in long pants, hip waders, a shirt and jacket, he was about 30 yards from dry land, DNR Capt. Stephen Adams told the Georgia Times-Union newspaper.

"Most likely the cold led to his drowning. If he had not been wet, he would have been able to survive the cold," Adams said.

There was no indication of foul play, but the death remains under investigation by DNR rangers and McIntosh County Sheriff's Office detectives, he said.

One of the last stages of hypothermia is unconsciousness. It is possible that after passing out someone could fall face down into water and drown, Adams said.

The autopsy was done Tuesday at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation crime lab in Savannah. Depending on the circumstances, it typically takes several weeks before final results are available.

Searchers found the body about 3 p.m. Monday about three miles from the nearest paved road. The body was brought out of the woods about 6:30 p.m. by authorities who were hampered by the water, woods and rugged terrain.

The teen and his stepfather, Brian Gale, had gone hog hunting Sunday on the 27,078-acre wildlife management area near the Cox community in northwestern McIntosh County, Adams said.

McIntosh County Sheriff Steve Jessup has said Gale told investigators the pair became lost. As they wandered, Daniel ultimately became too tired to walk any farther. Gale said he carried the teen as far as he could but finally left him to go for help and emerged cold, wet and disoriented from the woods about sunup, Jessup said.

After the pair had not returned home late Sunday, the family called the Sheriff's Office and deputies hurriedly arranged a search that began at 3:15 a.m. Monday, Jessup said.

Adams said Gale had a portable GPS device, but its battery died. DNR rangers put in a fresh battery and used the device to backtrack where the pair had been as a Georgia State Patrol helicopter searched from overhead. The helicopter crew guided searchers to the body, he said.

Daniel was a 10th-grade student at McIntosh County's alternative school to recover course credits necessary for graduation. He'd been in the program about three months, according to the school's director.

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