Missing fire recruit’s body found in Liberty Reservoir
Jun 20th, 2011 by Bilal Ali
A rescue boat is on the Liberty Reservoir in Carroll County for hours Sunday afternoon. Around 2:30, a boater spotted a body floating in about a foot of water on the south shoreline.
“This has been a daunting three weeks just knowing that our recruit has gone missing. It’s been an overwhelming challenge to the family. We’re happy in a sense that we’ll bring some closure to the family,” said Chief Kevin Cartwright, Baltimore City Fire Dept.
Rodney Goggins , 20, was reported missing three weeks ago. He had talked to his family and said he would be home later that night.
He never came home, and didn’t show up for training at the city fire academy.
His family believes he left his Randallstown home and was headed to Kenwood Avenue in the city to visit a friend.
Then a few days later, his car was found parked on the Liberty Road bridge, but he wasn’t inside.
Deputy Chief Lloyd Carter was in charge of training Goggins at the Baltimore City Fire Training Academy. He says he never recognized any signs of distress.
“He was just very well-rounded, very intelligent, very athletic, very strong leadership qualities,” said Carter.
“The remaining trainees that are in the program, they’re having a difficult time dealing with this,” he said.
Goggins entered the fire academy in March, training to be an EMT. Now, they know where he is but where he’s been for three weeks and how he ended up in the water is still a mystery.
“I have no explanation, none at all,” said Carter.
An autopsy is being done on Goggins’ body to determine the cause of death