Officials said Tyler Brown’s brothers tried to pull him from the water before the current swept him under.
ARMUCHEE, GA — A 14-year-old boy drowned June 29 after jumping from a popular rock into Armuchee Creek near a Floyd County park, where his brothers tried to save him before the current pulled him under, authorities said.
Tyler Brown’s death has shaken a family and renewed concern about a well-known swimming spot near Armuchee Park off Jones Mill Road, north of Rome. Police, firefighters and state wildlife officials said the teen was in the water with others when he failed to resurface. The Floyd County Coroner’s Office ruled the death an accident, and local authorities continued a death investigation as part of standard procedure.
The drowning happened on a hot Monday evening as four brothers were spending time together in the creek, officials said. Sgt. Brittany Werner of the Floyd County Police Department said emergency crews were called for a rescue mission around 8:30 p.m. after reports that someone was in distress in the water. “You want to try and find the person as quickly as possible,” Werner said. “The longer it takes to find them, the more unfortunate the outcome is likely to be.” Investigators said Brown had jumped from rocks into the creek and did not come back up. His brothers reached for him and tried to hold on, Werner said, but the current was too strong. “They lost their grasp of him, and he was pulled under,” she said.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources said Brown was swimming and diving with friends in Armuchee Creek when he jumped from what officials described as a popular diving rock about 8:45 p.m. Other people who were with him called Floyd County 911 when he did not resurface for several minutes, authorities said. Crews from the Rome-Floyd Fire Department and the Floyd County Police Department responded to the park and began coordinated search and rescue work. Fire personnel searched by kayak and in the water. State officials said the search began around 9 p.m. and ended about 15 minutes later, when Brown was found unresponsive. He was later pronounced dead. Officials have not released the full account of where he was found in the creek or how deep the water was at that spot.
Rome-Floyd Fire Department and Floyd County police officials said in a joint statement that emergency units were dispatched to the Armuchee Park area after reports of an individual in distress. The agencies said first responders began search and rescue operations when they arrived but found the victim unresponsive despite what they called prompt and extensive efforts. Fire officials said the body was turned over to the Floyd County Coroner’s Office. Police said multiple units assisted with rescue and recovery efforts before the department opened a death investigation. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was expected to complete an autopsy, according to local reporting that cited the Floyd County Medical Examiner’s Office. Authorities have not announced any criminal allegations, and no charges had been reported.
Armuchee Park is a local recreation area on Jones Mill Road, where the creek has long drawn people looking for a place to cool off. Residents described the area as familiar but risky, especially when the water is dark or moving fast. Jennice Moore, a Rome resident of 66 years, said she has warned family members about the creek. “It’s a dangerous place,” Moore said. “I tell my grandkids not to go there but they do, because it’s a hang out.” She said the water can make it hard to see once a person goes under. Officials also said the rock Brown jumped from was a known diving spot, though they did not say whether warning signs were posted nearby or whether the park had lifeguards or barriers at the creek.
The case came during a stretch of reported drownings and water emergencies in north Georgia and metro Atlanta. Local reports noted that a 6-year-old boy was found in a Clayton County pond the same day, a 2-year-old boy drowned at a Roswell apartment complex pool on June 22, a 21-year-old man was recovered from Lake Lanier in June after going under, and another swimmer drowned in Noonday Creek in Cobb County in May. Officials did not connect those cases to Brown’s death, but first responders said the Armuchee drowning showed how quickly a creek outing can turn deadly when a swimmer loses control in moving water. Werner said Brown’s death affected the officers and firefighters who responded to the scene.
Police and fire officials said the investigation remains with the Floyd County Police Department, with support from the Rome-Floyd Fire Department and the coroner’s office. The agencies said they would release more information when appropriate. The Floyd County Medical Examiner identified Brown on June 30 after relatives were notified. Authorities said the death was accidental, but the final investigative file was not complete. Officials had not released details about funeral arrangements, school information or whether the county planned any review of the park site. Both agencies said they extended condolences to Brown’s family and loved ones.
Werner said she went home and hugged her children after responding to the drowning. “It’s heartbreaking for the family and to see them go through what they’re going through,” she said. As of July 7, the next formal step in the case was the completion of the death investigation and autopsy process.
Author note: Last updated July 7, 2026.