Chilling detail in mom’s death as she drowns in ‘drunken’ boat collision and brother-in-law charged

Chilling details have emerged in the heartbreaking death of a new mom who drowned in a "drunken" July 4 boat party in Texas.

Three people dove in to save Jerri MacMeekin when she fell off the boat she was partying on on July 4 , but despite their best efforts, they were unable to locate her until authorities found her body floating in Lake Conroe in Willis, Texas . One of the men who allegedly inadvertently caused the death of the mom to a newborn girl was her brother-in-law.

It happened when his reckless boat driving, impaired by alcohol, led to a crash that caused her to fall into the water and vanish. Jerri did not have a life preserver on when she fell. After the family realized she had fallen in after her boat collided with another at around 9, her family dove in to try and rescue her.

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Her brother-in-law Kyle Dean MacMeekin, 29, and his friend Shane Everett Anniboli, 44, jumped in the water to save her, along with another woman who was on the boat. Despite their best efforts, they were unable to find the new mom.

Jerri MacMeekin was discovered hours later, floating in the Texas river. The woman's brother-in-law and his friend were arrested for 'boating while intoxicated .' Both men have since posted bail, according to Law & Order .

Montgomery County Pct. 1 Lake Patrol Cpt. Rosario said in the report: "Upon our arrival to the scene, we were able to find two of the males that had jumped overboard to save her. At that point, we began looking for two females. One female had gotten off to help find her. We did locate her about an hour later, safe on a dock."

"We never enjoy pulling people out of the water, especially on a holiday weekend when you're supposed to be having fun, enjoying time with your family," said Montgomery County Precinct 1 Constable's Office Capt. Miguel Rosario. The Montgomery County Precinct 1 Marine Division, assisted by Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Wardens, the Montgomery County Hospital District, the North Montgomery Fire Department, and the Conroe Fire Department, arrived at the scene within minutes of receiving the distress call.

After "several long hours" of searching, Jerri MacMeekin's body was finally located and retrieved at 11.30 p.m. by a team of rescue and recovery divers. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Jerri is thought to have been a senior estimator and portfolio manager for Paragon Services and BKB Construction in Houston. She exchanged wedding vows with Brandon MacMeekin, 32, in January 2021 and recently became a new mom of a baby girl.

"Proud to have stood by my best friend and brother as he marries the woman of his dreams," posted Kyle MacMeekin on Facebook, who tragically became part of the fatal accident. On December 14, 2023, Brandon and Jerri announced the arrival of their baby girl, Georgia Grace MacMeekin.

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The precious little one weighed in at 8 lbs 4oz. "Our momma finally got the daughter she has always wanted! " was Jerri's reaction to her child's birth. In another post where she announced her pregnancy, Jerri stated: "Our hearts have never been more full, our smiles have never been bigger, we couldn't be more grateful for this precious gift! ".

Sad news followed as she had only seven months to experience being a mother to her newborn. The Houston Chronicle reported that according to Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon, Anniboli and Kyle MacMeekin were on separate boats, whilst both MacMeekins were on pontoon boats.

In a conversation with the newspaper, Mr. Ligon pointed out, "It appears what we have are two drivers charged with boating while intoxicated and a lady who lost her life in a mishap on the lake... "This is the perils of being on a boat drinking all day, the perils of being on a crowded lake. These are the things we hope to avoid every summer when we are trying to let people know how deadly the roads and lakes are.

"Records show that MacMeekin was released after posting a $3,000 bond, while Anniboli was freed on a $1,000 bond. The police stated: "Constable Philip Cash expresses his deepest condolences to the family and friends of the victim and reminds everyone on Lake Conroe to utilize life safety equipment whenever you are on a boat or in the water. No matter your expertise in the water, personal floatation devices (PFD's or life jackets) save lives."