Country Singer's Son Drowned at Home

Rep confirms River Smith's cause of death
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 7, 2019 5:04 AM CDT
Updated Jun 7, 2019 6:26 AM CDT
Rep Says Country Singer's 3-Year-Old Son Drowned
Granger Smith, left, and Amber Bartlett Smith arrive at the CMT Music Awards at Music City Center on Wednesday, June 7, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn.   (Photo by Sanford Myers/Invision/AP)

River Kelly Smith, the 3-year-old son of country singer Granger Smith, died in a tragic drowning accident at home, according to rep Jay Jones of BBR Music Group. Smith, 39, shared the awful news Thursday that River couldn't be revived after a "tragic accident." "Amber and I made the decision to say our last goodbyes and donate his organs so that other children will be given a second chance at life," Smith wrote in an Instagram post. The Williamson County Sheriff Department in Texas has declined to comment on the incident, People reports.

Smith has asked fans to send donations to Dell Children's Medical Center in Texas instead of flowers or gifts, the Tennessean reports. According to the Centers for Disease Control, drowning is responsible for more deaths among children 1 to 4 than any other cause except birth defects. Last year, the 19-month-old daughter of US Olympic skier Bode Miller and wife Morgan Miller drowned in a pool at a California home. "My heart breaks," Morgan Miller, who now works with organizations that promote water safety, said of River's death. "Another baby gone too soon." (The CDC has tips on drowning prevention.)

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