Woman Drowns off Prince Frederick Coast

PRINCE FREDERICK - 7/21/2008

On Sunday,July 20, just after 3 p.m., members of the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office responded to an area south of the Hallowing Point Boat Ramp in Prince Frederick for a missing person, possible drowning.

Upon arrival, officers learned that 29-year-old Laurie Ann Bendlin of Waldorf had gone into the Patuxent River just south of the boat ramp to swim with her dog. She was visiting the beach with her boyfriend, Michael Edward Buckler, 56, also of Waldorf. Buckler stated that he last observed Bendlin swimming near her dog approximately 40 feet off shore. He stated that a short time later he could not find Bendlin, but the dog had returned to shore.

The Calvert County Rescue Dive Team, the Benedict Rescue Squad, and members of the Department of Natural Resources responded to the scene to assist in the search for Bendlin. At approximately 4:00 p.m., Bendlin was located in the water and medical personnel transported her to Calvert Memorial Hospital where she was pronounced dead.