The Monroe County Grand Jury has indicted Amanda L. English, 25, of Sweetwater, on charges of criminally negligent homicide and child neglect. Ms. English was arrested and booked into the Monroe County Jail on April 24.
Ms. English was the operator of a vessel in which a three-year-old male passenger died on Tellico Lake on Aug. 6, 2021. TWRA officers completed their investigation of the incident in late winter and presented their findings to the District Attorney’s office and the Monroe County Grand Jury. On April 6, the Monroe County Grand Jury indicted English for charges related to the boating fatality.
On Aug. 6, 2021, TWRA officers, along with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the local fire department, and Monroe County EMS, responded to a call just before midnight. English, another adult, and two children were traveling from Sequoyah Landing Marina to Razor Landing where they were camping. When preparing their boat for anchoring, one of the adults realized the three-year-old was missing. The pair looked for the child along with bystanders in the area who heard calls for help.
The child, who was not wearing a lifejacket, was found unresponsive in five feet of water. CPR was administered and the child was transported to Sweetwater Hospital, where he later died.
A court date has been set for May 16, at 8:30 a.m.