Friends and family remember teen who drowned in Lake James over weekend

LAKE JAMES, N.C. – We’re learning more about a teen who drowned in Lake James over the weekend. Rescue teams recovered the body of 18-year-old Austin Washington just after 9:00 Saturday night.

Investigators say he got in the water near the Linville Dam around 6:30 pm and never came back up.

On a GoFundMe page, friends say they are heartbroken and are raising money to cover his funeral costs.