It’s hard to watch now, but Tiffany has that 30-second video stored on her phone that was meant for Tilly’s grandparents.
Source: Family Photograph
Source: Family Photograph
After watching a fireworks display a few hours later, family members and a witness reported that two boats swooped by their slowly going boat, creating a combined wake that caused water to rush in. Around 10 p.m., in the dark, the most of the 12 passengers got up to escape the water that was dragging the boat down.
After that, it began to tilt before overturning. After almost forty minutes, Tilly—who was wearing her life vest—was finally hauled out of the sea after being stranded beneath.
The empty juice box was discovered floating in the Middle Georgia lake next to the boat, surrounded by rubbish and debris.
Two days later, Tilly passed away.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution quoted Tiffany Roache as saying, “My child is gone, and we’re all left with a huge hole.” I keep having the same nightmare when I wake up every morning. She is supposed to be among us here.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ incident report stated that the ship capsized due to passenger movement and that waves started to wash over the bow, without mentioning any additional vessels. In response to a request for additional details, DNR Sgt. Mike Wilcox stated that the event was no longer being investigated and that the report had all the information he knew about it.
No one has been charged by the authorities.
Although a family member later informed a lieutenant that a boat passed by and created a wake, Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills, whose office is in charge of investigations on Lake Oconee, stated that he did not get any information regarding two additional boats on the night of the incident.
According to DNR spokesperson Mike McKinnon, there have been ten boating mishaps, three boating fatalities, and three drownings on the lake so far this year through mid-July.
Some are now advocating for a new state law that would improve emergency response and water safety while the Roache family grieves. Hundreds of people have signed the AChange.org petition. Tilly’s Law is a fitting title for the proposed legislation.
The princess and the tomboy
In order to meet relatives, notably Reginald Wesley, a cousin who owns houses in Conyers and at the Harbor Club on Lake Oconee, Tiffany and Tilly were traveling to metro Atlanta for the second time from the UK.
Despite being covered in mud after school in their city of Leeds, England, Tilly’s mother claimed that she was a princess. She enjoyed having her nails done, but climbing trees and playing on the closest swing set would quickly get them dirty. If a bug or spider happened to cross her path? Of course, she would pick them up.
Tilly’s joy was contagious. She was nearly too vivacious, according to her mother’s jokes. Even when Tilly would unexpectedly enter her bedroom and fervently shout, “Wakey wakey!” with her adorable British accent, the 39-year-old never voiced any complaints.
Their Fourth of July got off to a similar start, with a schedule full of traditional American patriotic festivities. At the Harbor Club, the day began with the yearly golf cart parade. Wesley made sure a boom box was prepared to play music as the family decorated their electric car with flags.
Source: Family Photograph
Source: Family Photograph
The giggling child took solace in her mother’s arm while the celebrations went on that afternoon in the family pool. According to her mother, Tilly adored the water even though she couldn’t swim.
Later, the party went to see the fireworks from a family friend’s boat.
Source: Family Photograph
Source: Family Photograph
Lost in the water
According to Wesley, the family was moving at around 7 mph and letting people pass them on their way home from the performance when two boats passed.
As the flowing water caused havoc, Tiffany remarked that time passed quickly. She heard someone instruct her to transfer her daughter to them so she could go to the back of the boat, but she was afraid. Soon after, it capsized.
Then Tilly was lost in the dark water.
Tiffany discovered Tilly was missing when she got to the surface. She called for aid in a panic. Then, only a few feet away, Tiffany heard her daughter’s shrill screams coming from beneath the boat.
She screamed for her mother. That high-pitched sound. She has never called for me in such a manner. According to Tiffany, she was terrified. “Mommy is going to come and get you,” I said as I kept calling. It was too dark, yet I continued trying to go under to find her.
Greg Rhyne, a lifelong lake resident and the owner of two Stevi B’s Pizza Buffet restaurants in metro Atlanta, claimed that the two other boats were flying past him in a similar pontoon boat just moments ago. Since the combined wake threw us about a little, it infuriated his passengers.Rhyne recalled seeing dazzling green lights on one of the boats during the fireworks display.
One of Rhyne’s passengers saw the boat carrying Tiffany’s family sinking some 25 to 50 yards behind them following the sudden turbulence. Rhyne reported that the boat emerged from the water in a matter of seconds, began to turn to the right, and then overturned.
According to Rhyne, I was certain that those two boats were responsible for the wave that led to the disaster. He tried to assist right away after cutting the power with his friends.
Tiffany said her kid was gone and wearing a pink life jacket as he approached. The 61-year-old grabbed a flashlight and repeatedly swam underneath the boat, which was fully flooded by that point. Rhyne was holding a life jacket to keep himself from drowning, but his head kept hitting pieces of the boat throughout their searches for Tilly.
A race against time
Feeling exhausted, Rhyne said first responders and DNR officers arrived but told him they didn t have a way to dive under the boat. Rhyne begged them to relocate it toward the shoreline, about a football field away, to avoid the waves and deep water, but they emphasized the need to wait for fire crews, he said.
“Guys, there might be a little girl under here,” I added. This will be resolved if we wait that long. She will not be able to attend. That was my concern as already 10 minutes had passed, Rhyne said.
McKinnon said officers had basic first aid and safety equipment with them, including tourniquets, flotation devices and other equipment for enforcement operations.
Crews eventually pushed the boat to the shore. During that lengthy process, Rhyne said he started to see items coming out of the boat, which turned out to be just trash from the vessel.
Disheartened, he jumped in the water again. That s when he saw a small handin the boat s seating area. He pulled Tilly out by her life jacket and yelled at the top of his lungs upon reaching the surface.
It had been about 40 minutes since the boat capsized, he said.
After responders performed CPR, Tilly was hooked to breathing tubes while lying on a stretcher and eventually flown by helicopter to a Children s Healthcare of Atlanta hospital. Family members, including Wesley, looked on, hoping she was still breathing.
Uncle Reggie wants to play with you, baby, he said, while looking at Tilly s still body.
She never woke up.
I feel like I failed her. As a parent, you re supposed to keep your children safe, Tiffany said, breaking down in tears. She was calling for mommy for help.
Credit: David Aaro / [email protected]
Credit: David Aaro / [email protected]
A bright light
The family had a heartbreaking funeral for Tilly in Conyers on July 15, just one day before her grandmother, Ronna Browne, went to the now-broken boat to collect some belongings. The 59-year-old told Tiffany to stay home that morning so she wouldn t have to relive the moment.
I was very tearful. I screamed, Browne said about the boat visit. Tilly did not have to lose her life.
Tilly s body finally arrived back in the U.K. about two weeks ago following documentation delays and conversations with the British Consulate. Tiffany plans to have another service there for Tilly, who would have turned 5 in November.
She remembers everyone s birthday and was looking forward to mine, her mother said. She s a bright light that the world needed.
