Sandy Springs Woman Rescued From Pond Dies in Hospital

The Sandy Springs woman who had been hospitalized since she was rescued Dec. 29 from a small pond in southeast Cherokee County has passed away.

Georgia State Patrol spokesperson Tracey Watson said Shanell Latrice Anderson, 31, passed away early Friday afternoon at North Fulton Hospital in Roswell.

Cherokee County Coroner Earl Darby said he and his staff are still reviewing medical records to determine a cause of death in the case.

According to an incident report released by the state agency, Anderson was traveling eastbound on The Fairway towards Batesville Road in a 2000 Nissan Xterra when she “failed to maintain her lane of travel.”

The vehicle left the south edge of the roadway, continued off the road for roughly 30 feet and went “into a lake off the south shoulder of the roadway.”

The vehicle, which “came to an uncontrolled, final rest” in the pond off the roadway facing east.

Anderson was able to contact 911 after the accident, and the call was captured by the nearest cell tower in Alpharetta.

The Alpharetta dispatcher quickly contacted Milton and Cherokee County first responders and advised them of the possible location. Upon arrival, first responders discovered a vehicle in a lake and Anderson, whose conditioned changed to unresponsive by the time crews arrived to rescue her.

Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services crews arrived on the scene first and “two firemen entered the lake immediately and removed the driver from the completely submerged vehicle,” Cherokee Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Lt. Jay Baker previously told Patch.

She was transported to North Fulton Hospital in critical condition.

According to the incident report, the responding state trooper noted the road conditions were wet and that it was raining at the time of the crash.

Photo credit: Cherokee Sheriff’s Office