Charlotte women die after accident in SC lake on July 4 weekend, coroner says
Two Charlotte women died following a Fourth of July holiday weekend incident in a South Carolina lake, according to officials.
Elena Walrod, 27, and Hannah Riley, 34, are the Charlotte residents who died July 3, Kershaw County Coroner David West said Tuesday in a news release. West called the incident on Lake Wateree an accident.
At about 3:05 p.m. Friday, emergency responders went to a Liberty Hill address by Lake Wateree after receiving a 911 call about two possible drownings, according to the release.
When the emergency responders arrived, both Walrod and Riley had been pulled from the water and attempts were being made to resuscitate the women, the coroner’s office said.
Walrod died at the scene, while Riley was taken to an area hospital where she also died shortly after arriving in the emergency room, according to the release.
Autopsies will be performed to help the coroner’s office investigation into determining the causes of death, the release said.
Information about the incident that led to the deaths was not available, and the coroner’s office did not report any other injuries.
Lake Wateree is a man-made body of water created in 1920 that touches Fairfield and Lancaster counties along with Kershaw County, according to South Carolina DNR. The lake covers 13,025 acres and has a maximum depth of 225.5 feet, but the average depth is 6.9 feet, DNR said.
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This story was originally published July 6, 2026 at 2:15 PM.
