An 18-year-old man who was facing criminal charges for indecent liberties with a child and sexual battery drowned in the Tar River, according to Nash County authorities.
The teen, identified as Max Baptista, was found dead Friday evening after a dive team recovered his body from the Tar River near the 1400 block of River Drive. Authorities received a call at approximately 6:15 p.m. requesting assistance for a missing person believed to have gone under while swimming.
Emergency crews and dive search teams were deployed to the scene, where they later located Baptista’s body. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
Body of Missing 7-Year-Old Recovered from Tar River in Franklin County, NC
Investigators believe Baptista was swimming when he went under and never resurfaced. Although no signs of foul play have been confirmed, police say the investigation into the Tar River drowning is still active.
Max Baptista had been arrested in November 2024 on charges of indecent liberties with a child and sexual battery. His case was still pending at the time of his death.
The Tar River has been the site of multiple drownings in recent years, and local officials continue to caution swimmers about the river’s unpredictable currents and depths.
