A student who couldn't swim has been left on life support after so-called friends allegedly 'pushed him into a lake'.
Christopher Gilbert, 26, had been at the Lake D’Arbonne in Farmerville, Louisiana, on April 14, when he was allegedly pushed into the water.
While the friends initially claimed that Christopher had fallen into the lake, it's reported that during the investigation by the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office, one admitted to 'pushing' Christopher.
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Christopher was in the water for up to 20 minutes, fighting to get himself to safety.
It was around 10 minutes later that members of the public stepped in to help after hearing a commotion.
Christopher, who is an aspiring doctor, was pulled out of the water and rushed to hospital.
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His mother, Yolanda George, explained her son spent 72 hours on a ventilator.
“I was devastated. I felt like my life had ended in that moment. My son is aspiring to be a medical doctor, my son is going to be a medical doctor," she said.
"He got his masters last year in biological science. He’s preparing for medical school so for this to have happened to him … I was just devastated."
Yolanda explained that after the incident, she had received a call from one of the friends, explaining Christopher had been in the water for 20 minutes.
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"She told me that Chris had fallen into the lake and he had been underwater for 20 minutes or so," she told Fox8.
"And I was like, 20 minutes? Why was he underwater for 20 minutes? And she was just crying hysterically and he was being airlifted to Shreveport.
"And initially when my son got there the doctor called us in and told me that at this time he was 'brain dead pretty much, and the rest of his organs were starting to fail'."
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It's reported that the group Christopher was with have said the incident was 'horseplay' but the family's lawyer wants justice.
"In the legal field, we characterize things the way we see fit," said Claudia Payne.
"Of course, they are saying horseplay. We are saying that it was a criminal intentional push into the lake.
“To add insult to injury, after pushing him, no one from the ‘friend group’ attempted to go in after him.
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"Instead, two brave bystanders, who have no relationship to Chris, heard commotion and retrieved his body from the lake."
Yolanda added: "Everyone that's responsible, I want accountability."
Fortunately, Christopher is now responding cognitively but remains unable to speak and relies on life support. His lungs are said to be at 20 percent capacity.
UNILAD has reached out to the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office for comment.
Lucy Devine