Boy, father dead following Tazewell incident

TAZEWELL, Va. — A 2-year-old Tazewell County boy and his father are both dead following Friday incident that remains under investigation.

At approximately 3:30 p.m., the county’s 911 center received a call from Holly Boardwine, mother of two-year-old Thomas Cochran, in the Moore Mountain Road area of Tazewell County. She reported that the boy's father, Dakota Cochran, had stripped himself and his child naked and took the child into the woods, according to a statement from the sheriff's office.

Deputies from the Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office, Virginia State Police and Cedar Bluff Police department responded and a search of the area was conducted. That eventually led to the discovery of the child and his father in the river below the residence.

Responders administered CPR and the child was transported to Carillion Tazewell Community Hospital by Tazewell EMS, but he was later pronounced dead.

This matter is still under investigation.