What started as a fishing trip with friends ended with the drowning of a woman in the Alcovy River, the Newton County Sheriff’s Office said.

Authorities received a call about a missing woman about 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Newton sheriff’s Sgt. Cortney Morrison said Monday.

“When deputies arrived, they learned that a group of friends went down to the river bank to fish,” she said. “Upon getting ready to leave, they noticed their friend was not behind them.”

Authorities conducted a search overnight and found the body of Ciera Evans, 20, of Covington, Monday morning. The river is in the Factory Shoals Recreation Park in Covington.

Evans’ body will be taken to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab for an autopsy.

“The Newton County Sheriff’s Office is working closely with Newton County Coroner Tommy Davis to obtain the cause and manner of death,” Morrison said.

The Department of Natural Resources is assisting the Newton sheriff’s office in the investigation.

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