AUGUSTA, Ga. — A Georgia woman pleaded guilty to reckless conduct and involuntary manslaughter and will spend a year in jail after a prank turned deadly.
Shontover Kirkland had rented two boats on April 25, 2021, and the boats were parked and tied together at Clarks Hill Lake, WRDW reported. A group was on the boats with Kirkland, including best friends Eynn Wilson and Edward Kirk.
In court, an agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said that video from on board the boat showed Kirkland pushing Kirk, along with a woman wearing a life vest into the water, WRDW reported. Kirk did not know how to swim, prompting Wilson to jump in to save him. There was a struggle in the water, and neither surfaced, WRDW reported.
Kirk and Wilson’s bodies were recovered by dive teams searching the area days later, WJBF reported.
Kirkland spoke during the hearing, apologizing and saying that the deaths were unintentional, WRDW reported.
Kirkland was sentenced to one year in jail, followed by nine years on probation, The Augusta Press reported.
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