Body recovered near site of missing teen swimmer near Conroe

A body of a teenage swimmer was recovered Sunday morning from the San Jacinto River south of Conroe.

Jared Brimhall, 18, was found dead near the Magnolia Bend subdivision west of FM 1314, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office.

He and a 19-year-old woman went swimming in the river about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, said Lt. Brady Fitzgerald, spokesman for the sheriff's office.

On a nearby sandy bank, Terrence Morrison Jr. was casting his fishing line into the river when he saw the two teens approach the water for a swim.

Most days, the water there is just thigh-deep with a wide sand bar. But after six inches of rain over two days with water pouring from Lake Conroe's floodgates, some spots in the river now were 20-feet deep and currents raged along normally mild bends.

Morrison, 35, said he instantly felt tense as he watched the couple jump into the swirling water, clutching his cellphone and preparing to dial 911. It took less than a minute before the male swimmer panicked and disappeared below the river's surface after breaking free from the young woman, who was trying to pull him to safety.

"He was laboring from when he first got into the river. He was paddling, flailing his arms, breathing hard and terrified. He was trying to fight the current," he recalled. "But she looked like an Olympic swimmer, turning over on her back and going with it."

She managed to swim over to her boyfriend, wrap her arms around him, float with him about 100 yards, trying to make it to safety, he said.

Authorities search the San Jacinto River for 18-year-old Jared Brimhall after he vanished while swimming Wednesday evening with his girlfriend, according to Montgomery County Police Reporter Authorities search the San Jacinto River for 18-year-old Jared Brimhall after he vanished while swimming Wednesday evening with his girlfriend, according to Montgomery County Police Reporter Photo: Scott Engle / Montgomery County Police Reporter Photo: Scott Engle / Montgomery County Police Reporter Image 1 of / 21 Caption Close Body recovered near site of missing teen swimmer near Conroe 1 / 21 Back to Gallery

"But he was panicking too much and got loose from her," he said.

She climbed onto the shore, racing along the bank, screaming "baby! baby!" while she could still see his head bobbing above the surface before he sank, he said.

"I had called 911 and run down to help, but he never came up again," the fisherman said.

The search for the man started with helicopters that night, but efforts to place a boat in the river were delayed by strong currents and continued rain.

Staff reporters Dale Lezon and Cindy Horswell contributed to this report.