This week, DailyMail.com uncovered new information surrounding the tragic drowning of Tafari Campbell, personal chef to former President Obama.
On July 23rd, Mr. Campbell had been paddle boarding on Great Edgartown Pond in Martha’s Vineyard when he fell into the water and could not be rescued in time.
The presence of a second paddle boarder has been confirmed by dispatch calls between emergency services on Martha’s Vineyard, however, their identity remains undisclosed.
The first 911 call was made at 8:18 pm from Wilson’s Landing–a popular paddleboard launch site roughly two miles from the Obama residence on Turkeyland Cove–according to Edgartown Police Department records.
However, Massachusetts State Police reports indicate that this call originated from the Obamas’ residence instead. Oddly enough, the reason for this call is listed as “blank” while all other calls that night have reasons clearly stated.
Sources speaking with Daily Mail revealed more details about the incident, apparently a female staff member of Barack Obama had been with Campbell during his ill-fated outing and attempted to reach him after he fell into the water but couldn’t do so in time before having to retreat back onto shore and make an emergency call for help via a Secret Service agent at the Obama estate in Edgartown.
These events have left many questions unanswered and even more speculation arising surrounding who may have seen these events unfold firsthand that night on Great Edgartown Pond in Martha’s Vineyard–questions which may never be answered due to privacy concerns over those involved or simply due to lack of evidence and witnesses available to testify what they saw that fateful evening one week ago today.
Daily Mail reported:
Sources tell DailyMail.com that the witness spoke with police at the scene and described her as devastated but also apparently clear-headed and sober.
The multi-agency search continued into the night, with fire companies from across the island descending on Edgartown’s Great Pond with boats and divers, along with Massachusetts state police, the Dukes County Sheriff’s Department and Coast Guard.
The witness directed rescuers to one area where Campbell was thought to have gone under.
Crews diligently searched the location that night but did not find a body. Authorities also searched properties around the pond, in hopes Campbell had possibly made it to shore.
The Gateway Pundit reported:
The following morning, Campbell’s body was found by Massachusetts Environmental Police officers using side-scan sonar. Campbell’s body was taken to Wilson’s Landing, the public launch site used as the operation’s command post. A Secret Service agent confirmed the identity of the body as Campbell at the site.
At the time of the tragic accident, Barack and Michelle Obama were not at home. The whereabouts of their daughters, Sasha, 25, and Malia, 22, remain unclear. They were reportedly on the island but not sighted at the scene during the recovery operation.
Authorities have been strict in controlling the release of information about the incident.
In response to queries about the call log, Edgartown Police Chief Bruce McNamee speculated that this might be due to the call being made on a direct line rather than dialing 911, which would automatically generate location data. The address, he added, was listed as Wilson’s Landing since that was the location of the command post, and the exact location of the incident was unclear at the time of the call.
Toxicology reports are still pending, but the incident has so far been ruled a tragic accident. No signs of foul play have been detected. Campbell, who could swim as evidenced by a video he’d previously posted, was found in eight feet deep water without a life jacket and wasn’t tethered to his board.
Despite the tragedy, life goes on for the Obama family. Sasha and Malia Obama left the island on Tuesday, while Barack and Michelle Obama resumed some of their regular activities on Friday.
Michelle was spotted playing tennis at the local Farm Neck country club, and Barack was seen playing golf at the Vineyard Golf Club with bandaged fingers.
