Tragic July 4 Boat Party: New Mom Drowns in Lake Conroe After Brother-in-Law’s Reckless Boating
Jerri MacMeekin/Facebook
Chilling details have emerged in the heartbreaking death of Jerri MacMeekin, a new mom who drowned during a “drunken” July 4 boat party in Texas. Despite desperate efforts by three people who dove in to save her, Jerri’s body was found hours later floating in Lake Conroe, Willis, Texas.
The tragic accident occurred when Jerri fell off the boat, allegedly due to her brother-in-law’s reckless and intoxicated driving. Jerri, who did not have a life preserver on, vanished after the boat collided with another around 9 PM. Her brother-in-law, Kyle Dean MacMeekin, 29, and his friend Shane Everett Anniboli, 44, immediately jumped in to rescue her, joined by another woman on the boat. Despite their efforts, they were unable to locate the new mom.
Jerri’s body was discovered hours later by authorities. Both MacMeekin and Annabel were arrested for ‘boating while intoxicated’ and have since posted bail, according to Law & Order. Montgomery County Pct. 1 Lake Patrol Cpt. Rosario stated, “Upon our arrival at the scene, we were able to find two of the males that had jumped overboard to save her. At that point, we began looking for two females. One female had gotten off to help find her. We did locate her about an hour later, safe on a dock.”
Captain Miguel Rosario added, “We never enjoy pulling people out of the water, especially on a holiday weekend when you’re supposed to be having fun, enjoying time with your family.” The Montgomery County Precinct 1 Marine Division, Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Wardens, the Montgomery County Hospital District, and local fire departments arrived swiftly, but it took “several long hours” of searching to find Jerri’s body. She was pronounced dead at 11:30 PM, told click2houston.
Jerri, a senior estimator and portfolio manager for Paragon Services and BKB Construction in Houston, had recently become a new mom to a baby girl, Georgia Grace MacMeekin, born on December 14, 2023. She and her husband, Brandon MacMeekin, 32, had married in January 2021. Tragically, Jerri only had seven months to experience motherhood.
The Houston Chronicle reported that Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon highlighted the dangers of boating under the influence. “It appears what we have are two drivers charged with boating while intoxicated and a lady who lost her life in a mishap on the lake… This is the perils of being on a boat drinking all day, the perils of being on a crowded lake.”
Records show MacMeekin was released on a $3,000 bond, while Anniboli was freed on a $1,000 bond. Constable Philip Cash expressed his deepest condolences and reminded everyone on Lake Conroe to use life safety equipment. “No matter your expertise in the water, personal floatation devices (PFDs or life jackets) save lives,” he stated.
