Deputies report accidental drowning in Cass county

CASS COUNTY, Mich. -- Deputies were called to Belas Lake in Penn Township on Friday morning around 7:20 a.m. in response to reports of an unattended kayak in the water, according to the Cass County Sheriff's Office.

Upon arriving, deputies located the kayak and found hunting equipment floating near the kayak.

After investigating the area, officials found 50-year-old Cassopolis resident, Terry Westphal, below the surface of the water. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

While the incident remains under investigation, police say that Westphal fell into the water from his kayak and drowned, and the case is currently ruled as an accidental drowning.