Boy, 8, dies in suspected drowning; protesters say investigation was botched

JESUP, Ga. (WTOC/Gray News) - When Georgia officials found a missing 8-year-old boy’s body underwater in a construction pit, their initial investigation suspected he drowned. But since then, family and community members have come forward insisting there’s more to the story.

Hundreds of people gathered in the center of Jesup in protest of what they are calling a botched investigation into the death of 8-year-old Noah Bush. Photos, posters, signs and chants all demanded that Wayne County Sheriff Robert Moseley find answers, with the protesters not taking the county’s “no foul play” ruling as an answer, WTOC reports.

Family members say Noah went outside to play before going missing around 5 p.m. last Wednesday. His body was found in a borrow pit, which is used for construction materials, not far from his home around 8:30 a.m. last Thursday.

The sheriff’s office originally said they had no reason to believe that foul play was involved and that Noah appeared to have drowned. It’s a narrative that Noah’s 18-year-old sister, Alayzia McClinton, says is impossible.

“Now, you are denying that anything happened. You all are saying he jumped in when I know my baby was scared of water,” McClinton said.

Moseley announced Tuesday that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation has been called in to assist with the investigation, something McClinton says her family has been asking for for days.

“They are saying we are interviewing people, and then, that’s it. They aren’t telling us anything at all,” McClinton said.

WTOC spoke to Moseley, who says the county is doing all it can, but cases don’t always get solved overnight.

“I just want everyone to have faith. We are investigating this to the end. Until all the questions are answered, we will be investigating,” he said.

The sheriff says the GBI has completed a majority of the interviews expected and that the department is close to getting an answer.