Droves of worried relatives fill road after fishing teen vanishes on Louisiana lake

UPDATE: The body of 15-year-old Hayden “Lane” Mangum was found in the lake just after 7 a.m. Central Time on Wednesday, officials reported. The original story is below.

The search for a teen missing in Louisiana’s Lake Bistineau took a precarious turn when a growing number of distraught family and friends descended on the spot, according to the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators say the teen disappeared while fishing with a friend Tuesday at the southern end of the lake, about 40 miles southeast of Shreveport.

“More than 100 family members and friends arrived on scene (near) the old bridge. Some stayed through the night,” officials said, noting the road had become crowded with vehicles.

“Sheriff (Julian) Whittington encourages motorists to use extreme caution in the area, especially overnight and as day breaks when more vehicles will be on the highway.”

Lane and Cade Bedgood, 16, were fishing Tuesday near the Lake Bistineau Spillway when their boat flipped over, officials said. Bedgood was able find his way out of the water, officials said.

“This is such tragic news no parent wants to hear, and my heart aches for Lane’s family and friends,” Whittington said. “The recovery will hopefully help bring some closure to their family, but they will certainly need the support of family and friends.”

The two teens were student-athletes who recently completed their sophomore year at Calvary Baptist Academy, officials said.

Multiple departments participated in the search, using boats, drones and sonar equipment, officials said.

Lake Bistineau covers about 15,500 acres and is a popular spot for fishing, boating and kayaking, Premier Angler reports. The lake dates back 200 years, but was stabilized in 1935 with a permanent dam, Louisiana State Parks says. The water is as deep as 25 feet in spots, the state reports.

This story was originally published June 2, 2021 at 8:33 AM.