Wallowa 20-month-old drowns in Bear Creek

A 20-month-old boy drowned in Bear Creek on Sunday, according to a press release from the Wallowa County Sheriff’s Office.

The child was found Sunday afternoon by kayakers in Bear Creek about 8 miles south of Wallowa. Rescuers were unable to revive him.

Gavyn Owings of Wallowa was camping at Boundary Campground with his parents, Jennifer and Anthony.

At approximately 1 p.m., the child entered Bear Creek near the family camp site. He was found roughly a half-mile downstream from the campsite in the water by boaters.

The family drove the boy to Wallowa, where they were met by an ambulance and he was transported to Wallowa Memorial Hospital in Enterprise.

Despite extensive efforts to revive him, the child was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The incident is being investigated as an accident.