HELENA - A man drowned at Spring Meadow Lake on the west side of Helena Wednesday afternoon, according to the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff and Coroner Leo Dutton said a call came into dispatch around 2:30 p.m. about a man and a toddler who were in the water and in need of assistance.
In their preliminary investigation, the Sheriff’s Office believe the man was walking in the water with the child on his shoulders when the man became stuck in the mud.
A woman went out to assist and was able to get the child out safely, but was unable to rescue the man.
The body was recovered by the Sheriff's Office Water Emergency Team, Lewis and Clark Search and Rescue assisted.
The identity of the man is not being released at this time so that his family can be notified of his passing. Dutton did say the man was in their late 20s.
Editor’s note: This was updated with additional information about how the body was recovered.