A 17-year-old girl and 22-year-old man drowned at the same Georgia park; now there are new rules

BIBB COUNTY, Ga. — Following a drowning at Amerson River Park in Bibb County, new rules have been put in place.

In a commission meeting Tuesday, commissioners unanimously agreed to require all people to wear a life jacket when entering the river no matter their age.

People under the age of 16 are banned from getting into the river without adult supervision.

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If caught violating the rules, offenders could receive a verbal reprimand, be removed from the park, or get a fine of up to $500.

The rules come after Javion Whitest, 22, drowned while he was swimming with two friends on Wednesday, Feb. 22.

Dive teams searched the river for several days and members of the Macon-Bibb County Fire Department Dive Team and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources located his body five days later.

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The park has been the scene of several drownings.

Channel 2 Action News reported on a teenage girl who died in May of 2022.

Three other family members were hospitalized in the incident.

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