Farmer who ‘loved his cattle’ dies trying to save calf in icy pond, Arkansas cops say
.jpg "Jessie Roberts, a farmer in Magazine, Arkansas, died trying to rescue a calf trapped in a frozen pond on his property, the Logan County Sheriff’s Office says. Photo by Getty Images.")
A farmer who “loved his cattle” died trying to save a calf trapped in an icy pond, Arkansas officials say.
Jessie Roberts, 69, fell into a frozen pond on his property in Magazine after attempting to rescue the calf from the frozen water, according to the Logan County Sheriff’s Office.
A friend went searching for Roberts at his home Wednesday, officials say. The friend couldn’t find Roberts at the house, but he spotted his truck parked by the pond. After friends and family failed to locate Roberts, they asked the sheriff’s office for help.
During the search, which included an “overwhelming response” from concerned Magazine residents, Roberts’ body and the dead calf were discovered in the frozen pond, the sheriff’s office said.
“Jessie’s family said Jessie loved farming and loved his cattle, and they have no doubt that when Jessie saw the calf get stuck in the pond, he went in to get the calf out,” the sheriff’s office said. “It is a heartbreaking loss for his family and friends and our thoughts and prayers go out to them.”
Magazine, where temperatures were in the teens and low 20s Wednesday, is about 45 miles southeast of Fort Smith.
This story was originally published February 17, 2021 at 8:05 PM with the headline "Farmer who ‘loved his cattle’ dies trying to save calf in icy pond, Arkansas cops say."