Evening star., 1961-06-14
Three Area Youths
Drowning Victims .
Students Lured
To Swim Spots
By Heat Wave

Three area youths celebrating
their release from school were
drowned in two accidents yes
terday while the temperature
scared to 81 degrees.
Two of the youths who lost
their lives in nearby waters
yesterday were Vincent F.
Conte Of 8 Weber drive, and
David A. Cain of 8 Weber drive,
District Heights, both II,
drowned at Chesapeake Beach.
They had attended all their
classes yesterday and went to
beach after school.
The third, Michael Kephart
of Old Court House road, vi
enna, who would have been 16
Saturday, died in Timberlake,
4 miles north Of the Town of
Fairfax.
Celebrated Graduation
The District Heights youths,
pals for eight years, were cele-
brating their graduation from
Suitland High School next
week. They were the sons of
Mr.. and Mrs. w. A. Cain and
Mr.. and Mrs. Alberto Conte.
Mr.. Conte is a bricklayer, Mr..
Cain a mechanic.
Maryland State police said
the youths, along with two
others, waded out 100 yards to
chest-deep water off the Rcd
and Reel Club at Chesapeake
Beach.
They started back in about
an hour when water had risen
over their heads and was very
rough. The boys shouted for
help, but slipped under the
water before help reached
them. The bodies were re-
covered.
The other two boys, Gerald
L. Lewis and William A. Strom-
mel, about II, were able to
make it to shore.
Young Kephart was the son
of Michael Kephart, a carpen-
ter foreman at the w. P. Lips
comb Construction Co., and
Mrs. Mary Kephart, a real
estate dealer in Vienna.
Trio Went Swimming
A junior at James Madison
High School, Fairfax, he took
his final examinations yester-
day and went swimming with
two Schoolmates, Cheryl Far
rell, II, of SOL Roberts road,
and Karen Lynch, IS, Of Flint
Hill road. 4
Joseph S. Young, owner of
the commercially operated lake,
said the youngsters entered the
water at the northwestern tip
instead of in the southeastern
portion where a lifeguard was
on duty.
Miss Farrell said the three
struck out for a float about
midway between the shore and
a pier 100 yards away.
She said she reached the
raft first, with the other girl
close behind, and turning to
Michael, asked if he was going
to make it. He replied: "I think
So" But Karen said, 81 don't
think he'll make it," ..-
"I screamed and went out
there" Cheryl said. HE pulled
me down about four times. I
saw a man on the pier Jump in,
and he yelled for me to let go.
I let CO."
Rescue Efforts Fail
The man on the pier, Ray
Meredith, Is, of 2119 Anderson
road, Falls Church, a Coast
Guard recruiting officer, swan
to the struggling youth.
Michael vanished before I
could reach him." he said. 81
went down once and went
down again. By the third time
I had lost my breath" t
Returning. to shore, . the
Coastguardsman got a canoe
and went back for the girls.
taking the nearly hysterical
pair to shore.
In addition to his parents,
Michael leaves a younger
brother, Eugene, and his
grandparents. Mr.. and Mrs.
Albert Borbely of the home
address and Mr.. and Mrs,
George Kephart of Barnesville,
Pa.
A student at James Madison
the past two years, he played
junior varsity baseball and
football. g
His mother said, "He was a
good swimmer, but he got tired.
He had asthma. I warned I1i,v