May 24, 2020

MDIFW NEWS: Father And Two Daughters Rescued By Off-Duty Game Warden And Parlin Pond Camp Owners

PARLIN POND TOWNSHIP, Maine - An off-duty game warden and his wife, along with Parlin Pond camp owners, likely saved the lives of a father and two daughters whose boat capsized this afternoon.

Emily MacCabe was outside working with her family this afternoon at a cabin on Parlin Pond when they thought they heard someone screaming along the densely forested shoreline at about 3:30 p.m. After scanning the shoreline and listening more, Emily and her husband Game Warden Kris MacCabe thought they could see someone walking the shoreline, screaming for help.

Kris MacCabe and his neighbor Don West took West's boat across to the shore where 16-year-old Kiana French of Skowhegan was screaming. Kiana told Kris their boat had capsized, and her sister and father were still out in the middle of the lake.

Kris placed Kiana in the boat of Don West, and directed Ray Levesque, another camp owner who was helping, out to the middle of the lake approximately 1800 feet from where they found Kiana. Levesque was able to locate Gary French, age 40, of Norridgewock and his daughter, Cierrah French, age 14 of Skowhegan, who were still in the water and hypothermic. Levesque brought Cierrah to shore and MacCabe and West brought Gary and Kiana to shore where they were taken to Levesques camp.

It appears that Gary and his two daughters, were out fishing on Parlin Pond when the weather worsened and the winds picked up. Waves started to crash over their 10-foot aluminum jon boat, and they started taking on water. Despite efforts to bail the boat, the boat eventually capsized. The three placed on their lifejackets and attempted to swim to shore, but only Kiana was able to swim the 1800 feet to shore, where she took off her shoes and wet clothing and began moving down the densely forested and rocky shoreline while screaming for help. Emily MacCabe stated the only reason they saw Kiana through binoculars was that her fair skin contrasted against the dark trees as she moved through the bushes. Kiana said the took off her clothes to get warmer and to be able to move faster because she thought she had seen it on a reality TV show.

The father and daughters were examined by EMS personnel, but did not need further treatment. Game Warden Tennie Colman and Jackman/Moose River Fire and Rescue also arrived on scene.

No further information is available at this time.