Originally published on July 16, 2021 11:46 am
Three employees of the company that operated a duck boat that sank in Branson, Missouri, killing 17 people, were charged Friday with multiple counts of involuntary manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child.
The charges come nearly three years to the day after the disaster on July 19, 2018, which occurred just 23 minutes after the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the area.
A crew member and 16 passengers, including nine members of a single Indianapolis family, died. Five children were among the dead.
Named in a criminal complaint filed by Stone County Prosecuting Attorney Matt Selby were Scott McKee, the captain of the boat, who faces 17 counts of involuntary manslaughter and 12 counts of endangering the welfare of a child; Charles Baltzell, operations supervisor for the duck boat company, who faces 17 counts of involuntary manslaughter; and Curtis Lanham, general manager of the company, who faces 17 counts of involuntary manslaughter.