Lotus drummer Chuck Morris and son Charley found dead 24 days after they vanished on Arkansas kayak trip
OZARK, ARKANSAS: The bodies of Lotus drummer Chuck Morris and his son Charley was found on Sunday, April 9. The discovery came nearly 24 days after the duo disappeared after they went kayaking near Beaver Lake in Arkansas, on March 16. A statement issued by Benton County Sheriff's Office revealed that the tragic discovery was made after “24 days of recovery efforts,” The US Sun reported.
“Sheriff Holloway, along with the family of Chuck and Charley, would like to thank all the men and women who donated their time and efforts to help bring closure to the family and recover the two missing men. Our hearts go out to the family of Chuck and Charley Morris and we are thankful today that we can help bring closure,” the statement read. Last month, Jennifer Thompson told ABC News that she believed her husband and son likely drowned during the trip. “What saved me from the beginning of this is that they died together; they were together,” she said.
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What happened to Charley and Chuck Morris?
On March 16, Lotus drummer Chuck Morris and his son Charley disappeared while kayaking near the Lost Bridge area of Beaver Lake during a spring break trip to Arkansas. Morris’ wife and Charley’s mother told ABC News last month that she and her younger daughter went to town, her husband and son decided to go for kayaking despite strong currents and three-foot waves in the cold lake.
“We thought it would be a great idea for Chuck and Charley to be able to get on the kayaks before a storm hit. We got home, and they weren't back yet. My husband being the adventurer that he is, we're like, ‘oh, they must be having a great time,’” Thompson shared. However, as time passed, Thompson went into a “crisis mode” and decided to go in search the father-son duo around the lake.
Thompson alerted police in the afternoon of March 16 after failing to find to Morris and Charley herself. She also told the publication that the conditions on the lake were “for all intents and purposes a perfect storm for drowning.” Rescue teams searched for Morris and his son for over 20 days using helicopters, drones, sonar, and dogs while neighbors organized a community search effort using their boats. Unfortunately, the search came to a tragic end after Morris and Charley’s bodies were found on Sunday, April 9.
GoFundMe campaign raised over $195,000 for Charley and Chuck Morris
In the wake of Morris and his son’s disappearance, a GoFundMe fundraiser was launched to help the family fund their expenses during the search investigation. “Dearest friends, family, and supporters, our friends are in need of deep prayer and financial support. On the morning of March 16th, Chuck and Charley Morris went kayaking on Beaver Lake (AR), and have not yet returned. Search efforts are still underway, and Jenny and family could use all the prayer you can muster,” the page stated. “They could also use financial support. Please help however you see fit,” it added.
The fundraiser raised over $195,000 as of Monday afternoon. “Our family was informed by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office that Charley Morris has been found. We have concluded the cause of his death was drowning. The teams are still actively searching for Chuck Morris but we continue to have faith in their work,” a recent update on the campaign read, just before the discovery of Chuck’s body.