Tragedy struck earlier this summer in Appanoose County, Ioha when a high school student and Prom King was found dead an hour after being reported missing.

As per reports, 17-year-old Ayden Beeson was swimming on June 26, 2024 when he disappeared under the water’s surface and failed to come back up.

The Appanoose County Sheriff released an immediate press release, revealing that a 911 caller had alerted them to a possible drowning at Rathbun Lake. The County Sheriff’s Office and the Appanoose County Water Rescue team worked together to try and locate Ayden, but the sad story was to have a heartbreaking end.

The Water Rescue team is said to have recovered the teen’s body in 15 to 20 feet of water. Ayden was pronounced dead at the scene.

Compounding the tragedy, the 17-year-old was said to be a popular figure within the Centerville School District. A leader on the football field and an accomplished tennis player, Ayden had been voted Prom King prior to his spring graduation.

“Such a great kid being lost in the prime of his life is just devastating for our community for the family and for the lives he was going to impact… He was nice to everybody uh really popular kid that everybody liked there wasn’t a single person in that school that he felt he couldn’t be nice to and kind to,” said Superintendent Mark Taylor.

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The day after his passing, the Centerville Community Schools’ Facebook page put up a message to announce that it was “deeply saddened” to find out about the death of one of their students.

The district noted that Ayden was an active member of his school community, adding that he was known by staff and students because of how “genuinely kind” he was.

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