On May 19, 2024, Judy Henderson-Bailey died on the Buffalo River (69 year old woman from Kansas). She was in a recreational kayak and hit a strainer, flipped, and drowned underneath tree. She was with a group who could not rescue or recover her. Water was class I and was low but floatable. Low water made this feature more difficult to miss. No life jacket was worn. No outfitters - private kayaker.
Location: 1 mile above Carver access on Buffalo National River.
Level: 3.91' on May 20, 2024. Low but floatable is 3.85'.
Authorities for this report: Press reports citing National Park Service; Newton County Sheriff's office; Hasty Volunteer Fire department
John P. Fletcher
Conservation Officer
Arkansas Canoe Club
On May 19, 2024, at approximately 5:00 pm, Buffalo National River dispatch was notified of a possible drowning in the upper district of the river near Carver. Judy Henderson-Bailey, a 69-year-old female, from Topeka Kansas was floating in a private kayak that overturned after striking a tree in the river channel. After turning over in the water, the female was pulled under a submerged tree. Members of her floating party tried to extract her but were unsuccessful. She was not wearing a personal floatation device at the time. Buffalo National River would like to thank the Newton County Sheriff’s Office and the Hasty Volunteer Fire department who also responded to the incident. Currents, down trees, and underwater obstructions exist in rivers and creeks, which can make paddling more challenging.
