Man dies jumping into Indiana lake from 30-foot platform
Man dead after jumping into lake from 30-foot platform and never resurfacing
- Ryan Hester, 30, died after jumping into a lake from a 30-foot-high-platform
- He and a friend jumped from the platform at White Rock Park in Indiana on Thursday
- Witnesses said he landed awkwardly on the ropes
- An autopsy has concluded that he drowned
- Toxicology reports are still pending
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Authorities say a Cincinnati man died after jumping 30 feet into an old rock quarry at a private park in central Indiana on Thursday.
State conservation officers said divers found 30-year-old Ryan Hester’s body in the lake at White Rock Park near St. Paul.
Witnesses said that after he and a friend jumped from the 30-foot platform into a 20-foot deep pool, Hester did not resurface.
Tragic death: Ryan Hester, pictured with his wife Kelly, drowned after jumping from a 30-foot-high platform into a lake
Rallying: Friends and family are rallying around Kelly Hester and Ryan's young daughter Leighann
Witnesses told investigators that Hester landed awkwardly on a rope marking the landing area.
Officer Corey Narrod told The Indianapolis Star that Hester’s body was found in 19 feet of water.
An autopsy on Friday showed that Hester drowned.
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ShareAccording to the Star, the autopsy revealed no signs of trauma.
The final report is still outstanding, pending toxicology results which could take weeks.
Narrod said signs clearly state only one person at a time should jump from the platform at the park about 30 miles southeast of Indianapolis.
Long drop: Ryan Hester and a friend jumped off this 30-foot-high platform into the water below, but Hester never resurfaced
The rule aims to prevent people hitting each other in the air or landing on top of each other in the water.
There are no lifeguards at the park, but there are employees patrolling the area monitoring activities, Narrod told the Star.
'It's just a reminder that you've got to be safe, you've got to follow the rules. If you don't, accidents like this can happen,' Narrod said.
Ryan Hester worked as a programmer at Fuzion Technologies and was married to Kelly Widener Hester and the couple have a one-year-old daughter, Leighann.
His family does not have insurance and have set up a Go Fund Me page to help pay for his funeral costs.
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