Found Deceased IN - Carson Hughes, 18, Versailles State Park, Versailles 15 Mar 2024

[arielilane]

@MaxLewisTV
#UPDATE: A spokesperson for the DNR tells me they still have not located Carson Hughes. Search will be called off at dark and will resume tomorrow morning at 7.
7:20 PM · Mar 16, 2024




#NEW: Search will resume this morning for 18 y/o wildlife photographer Carson Hughes. He disappeared inside Versailles State Park on Friday afternoon in southeastern Indiana. His vehicle was found unlocked with keys still in it near the boat ramp and his kayak on the water nearby




10:20 AM · Mar 16, 2024


A search was conducted on land and water near where his vehicle was found using thermal and side-scan sonar technologies. However, the search was suspended last night due to darkness and unsafe search conditions.


Anyone with info is urged to call the Indiana DNR at 812-837-9536.



10:20 AM · Mar 16, 2024 from Indianapolis, IN

 

[arielilane]

@812now

The extensive search effort for 18-year-old Carson Hughes continues Sunday afternoon: https://812now.com/post/extensive-search-for-carson-hughes-continues


3:06 PM · Mar 17, 2024

https://twitter.com/x/status/1769440273577226469

Multiple agencies, non-profits and volunteers have been searching for the teenager for over 48 hours now.



There is a significant number of resources and equipment coming in and out of the park as part of the ongoing efforts. The park is currently still open; however, the primary search area is closed to the public.

https://www.812now.com/post/extensive-search-for-carson-hughes-continues

5 hours ago

 

[caradana]

I have nothing at all to add in thoughts on the search but I feel compelled to post to say:

What an incredibly gifted, cool, interesting, naturalist kid.

And what a loss to us all if he’s gone, though he is in nature, as he loves.

 

[arielilane]

Earlier X reports:


18-year-old Carson Hughes, of Osgood, is missing at Versailles State Park. There is a large search operation to locate him. Jac-Cen-Del High School has opened their doors to anyone for a prayer vigil tonight. (No set time, doors are open now)Carson is a Jac-Cen-Del student and a photographer whose work was featured on our very first 812 magazine cover in January. Please join us in praying for his safe return.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1768772765497057590

Search suspended for the night for Carson Hughes at Versailles State Park. Read more here: https://812now.com/post/search-for-carson-hughes-suspended-for-the-night

https://twitter.com/x/status/1768813719834771939

There is a large police and volunteer search underway for Carson Hughes at Versailles State Park. Among the volunteers, is Sophia Sullivan who has an injured knee and on crutches. Sophia is a classmate of Carson at Jac-Cen-Del.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1769052917057609852

The extensive search for 18-year-old Carson Hughes continues at Versailles State Park as of 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. The 812 will provide more updates when information is made available.

https://twitter.com/812now/status/1769099132818403643




A prayer vigil and community gathering for Carson Hughes will take place at 7:30 p.m. tonight at Jac-Cen-Del High School . Superintendent Sam Melton said this is available for both students and community members.

https://twitter.com/812now/status/1769118647295906108

 

[arielilane]

@krizia_williams

"This is worse than a funeral," one search volunteer shared. An Indiana Conservation Officer said hundreds of volunteers and multiple different agencies have come out to search. He said Carson Hughes is very well known and an incredibly talented photographer. @WCPO

https://twitter.com/x/status/1769360157572497758

HAPPENING NOW: Almost 72 hours in a search for 18-year-old Carson Hughes continues.

WHAT WE KNOW: He hasn’t been seen since Friday and 1:30 pm that day Indiana Conservation Officers found his…

- car unlocked
- keys inside
- his shirt
- camera gear.
- kayak in the water

https://twitter.com/x/status/1769356541134512394

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

It is so incredibly sad. What an amazingly talented young man. How deep is that body of water and have they been able to send down divers with sonar? It seems that perhaps given the camera and tripod setup he was setting up a selfie type of video or still shot and his kayak capsized and he wasn’t able to make it back to the shore for whatever reason.

 

[arielilane]

@MaxLewisTV

#BREAKING: A sad update tonight. This evening, Indiana Conservation Officers found the body of 18-year-old wildlife photographer Carson Hughes. Divers found his body in about 6 ft of water. Hughes disappeared inside Versailles State Park on Friday afternoon.



8:53 PM · Mar 17, 2024

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

@MaxLewisTV

#BREAKING: A sad update tonight. This evening, Indiana Conservation Officers found the body of 18-year-old wildlife photographer Carson Hughes. Divers found his body in about 6 ft of water. Hughes disappeared inside Versailles State Park on Friday afternoon.


View attachment 491214
8:53 PM · Mar 17, 2024

Ohhhh no. Thank you for that update. Rest with your camera in heaven, Carson. A brilliant life taken way too soon.

 

[arielilane]

BREAKING: Indiana Conservation Officers say they recovered the body of 18-year-old Carson Hughes from the Versailles Lake this afternoon. Hughes was reported missing on Friday.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1769528219558961250

 

[arielilane]

Rest easy, gentle soul. You made a difference in a short amount of time.

 

[JosieMae]

Oh no. Such promise.

 

[arielilane]

(@carsonhughes_photography) https://bit.ly/4afr9GS

 

[arielilane]

Carson Hughes - Wildlife Photography (@carsonhughes_photography) on Threads

17 y/o from Indiana Strong passion for wildlife photography + the outdoors Prints available on my website canonusa 90D tamronamericas 150-600mm. 431 Followers.

www.threads.net

 

[arielilane]

Here is a snapshot of some of his work:

Carson also was a member of the Jac-Cen-Del basketball team and planned to go to Purdue next year.

While this is nothing short of a tragedy, one blessing that Carson gave is showing how special Southeast Indiana is.

https://www.812now.com/post/body-of-carson-hughes-recovered

 

[lucky181]

Oh Carson this makes me so sad. I think I knew that this would be the result but your wonderful photographs will live on.

 

[Poedelini]

Such a tragic outcome. Rest in peace Carson.

 

[BrownRice]

So tragic. I wonder if he had a medical emergency.

 

[Tamalita]

So tragic. I wonder if he had a medical emergency.

I wonder why his camera was on a tripod on land if he was in the kayak on the water. He was a creature of habit and probably went to this area all the time. I just hope nothing sinister happened. Kind of confused as to him drowning. Didn't he know how to swim? If he fell in he couldn't just hold onto the kayak to get to shore?

 

[Eli9]

I am so sad to read this update. Rest easy Carson.

 

[NoSpoonFeeding]

I wonder why his camera was on a tripod on land if he was in the kayak on the water. He was a creature of habit and probably went to this area all the time. I just hope nothing sinister happened. Kind of confused as to him drowning. Didn't he know how to swim? If he fell in he couldn't just hold onto the kayak to get to shore?

How do you know he was a creature of habit?
I hope someone who reads about his death will realize how easy it is to drown and will take lifesaving precautions, especially when alone in the water. Knowing how to swim does not mean you can survive cold water shock, or swim when wearing heavy clothes/shoes. Thinking you cannot capsize in a canoe, don't need a life jacket or will be able to grab onto the canoe/boat are deadly mistakes.
What a terrible loss of life, we lost an 18-year-old too, it's just devasting.