COVINGTON, LA - On Saturday, Aug. 14, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's deputies received a report on a missing child in the Covington area. The ten years old girl with special needs was later located in a nearby pond on the following day.
The missing child, Avani Cook, was an approximately 4 foot tall and 70 pounds white female with dirty blonde hair and hazel eyes. She suffered from medical conditions that make it hard for her to get around.
On the day she was reported missing, the girl was initially playing outside her house in the 25000 block of North Davis Road with her mother and dog. Her mother went inside the house for a short time, but when she returned, only the dog remained there.
Upon finding her child nowhere to be found, her mother called 911 at around 2.30 p.m. to report the incident. More than 15 deputies of the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Office assisted in searching around the forested area north of Covington.
On Aug. 15 at approximately 7.30 p.m., STPSO deputies and Special Operation Division recovered the body of Avani Cook in a nearby pond. According to the preliminary investigation, the young girl walked to the pond area for an unknown reason before drowning. The Coroner's Office and Investigators of the Major Crimes Division found no other evidence at this time.
“This is a horrible tragedy and my sincere condolences and sympathy go to the family of the young girl lost, and for everyone who was involved with doing all they could to locate her safely," said Sheriff Randy Smith in response to the incident.
"Unfortunately, that was not the case, and the loss of a young precious life affects our entire community. We will all continue to pray that God provides comfort for the family."
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