Bartow County Teen Drowns on Allatoona

Unfortunately a third student has drowned on in Allatoona in three months. A Bartow County teen drowned late Monday afternoon in a Lake Allatoona cove popular with local high schoolers.

The 17-year-old victim went under after swimming about one-eighth of a mile across the cove, located on the backside of Red Top Mountain in Bartow County, said Bartow Coroner Joel Guyton. He was about 40 yards from the shore when he began to struggle.

A female friend tried to save him but “he was too heavy for her,” the coroner said. The teen was a fairly experienced swimmer, according to Guyton.

The teen was identified Tuesday as Byron Sides of White.