Community Rallies Around the Families of Ja’Oni Williams and Ja’Candis Owens Following the Ouachita River Tragedy
WEST MONROE, La. (6/1/2026) — As families, friends, and neighbors continue to mourn the loss of two young girls who drowned Sunday in the Ouachita River, community members are rallying to provide support through fundraising efforts and messages of encouragement.
UrbanCast previously reported that West Monroe Police officers responded to a call at approximately 5:48 p.m. Sunday regarding juveniles in distress in the water. According to investigators, three juveniles were in the river when two girls went under the water. A male juvenile was able to make it out of the river and call for help.
Dive teams from the Monroe Police Department and Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office ᴀssisted in the search. The first victim was recovered at approximately 7:18 p.m., with the second victim recovered about 15 minutes later.
Family members identified one of the victims as 10-year-old Ja’Oni Williams. Monroe Free Press has since reported that the second victim was 9-year-old Ja’Candis Owens.
According to reporting by Monroe Free Press, separate GoFundMe campaigns have been established to ᴀssist both families with funeral expenses, grief counseling, and other financial needs as they navigate the unimaginable loss of their daughters.
West Monroe Mayor Staci Albritton Mitchell also addressed the tragedy in a video message posted to Facebook on Monday.
“We had a tragic accident in our community yesterday, and on behalf of the City of West Monroe, our aldermen, and all of the city, I just want to offer my prayers, our condolences, and our thoughts with the families of the two little girls that drowned yesterday in the Ouachita River,” Mitchell said.
“Our hearts break for these families and for our community.”
Mitchell also expressed appreciation for the first responders and agencies that ᴀssisted in the search and recovery effort.
“I also want to say thank you to all of the agencies, the first responders, and multiple agencies for their quick response and all that they did during this accident yesterday,” Mitchell said. “I ask that you join us in prayers, concerns, and thoughts with the families at this time.”
