The Red and Black

Issue date: 1/11/08 Section: News

Cayle Bywater [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: FRANNIE FABIAN The family of Cayle Bywater speaks out at a news conference on Friday night.

The search for University graduate student Cayle Bywater came to a grim end Friday afternoon.

Divers from the Hall County Sheriff's Department found Bywater's body at 4:30 p.m. in a small lake in Memorial Park, almost two weeks after she was last seen.

It was a difficult end of two traumatic weeks for the Bywater family.

"We want everyone to know how bright and loving Cayle was," said Bywater's mother Valery during a news conference Friday night. "She touched everyone she met."

Valery Bywater thanked the media, community and law enforcement for their efforts during the search.

"We want to thank Detective Dustin Smith who has not had a day off since this case started and I know his heart and soul was in this in finding Cayle," said Bywater. "We would also like to thank the media who has treated this story with great respect during the time of assistance in finding Cayle, and who will continue to do so during the family's time of mourning."

The cause of death remains uncertain pending the results of an autopsy, but the family stated that suicide has been ruled out.

"While the search is over, there are still a lot of questions that have to be answered," said Valery Bywater.

She also said she did not know whether to believe if foul play was involved.

"There's so much I don't understand. Hopefully as they continue to investigate things will make more sense," she said.

She took a moment to address rumors concerning the mental health of her daughter, prior to her disappearance.

"We know that there has been a lot of press about the possible mental status here and we talked to her doctor today and he said that she was not bipolar," she said. "We don't want people to think it was a part of this."

Tiffiny Cohen, Bywater's sister spoke of Bywater's heart and mentioned that her sister handmade everyone's cards and wrapping paper for Christmas this year.

"She does not buy generic gifts, she does everything from the heart," said Cohen.

The family has not set any plans for a memorial service in honor of their daughter's life.

The body was transported to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab in Decatur for an autopsy. On Saturday, the Crime Lab officially identified the body as Bywater's and determined the preliminary cause of death as drowning. Investigators still await the findings of toxicology test, but added that foul play is not suspected at this time.

Bywater's body did not appear at first glance to have been the victim of violence, Clarke County Coroner Bobby Tribble told the Athens Banner-Herald.

"There weren't any signs of obvious trauma," Tribble said.

ACC officials dragged the pond on Jan. 4, but were unable to uncover anything.

Bywater was last seen in Memorial Park around 6 p.m. on Dec. 29 and was reported missing on New Year's Eve.

After Bywater's dog Ollie was seen running loose outside her 2004 S. Milledge Ave. home, concerned neighbors contacted police. Bywater's basement door was open, and her purse, wallet, cell phone and car were found at her residence, according to a police report.

On Monday, police obtained a picture of Bywater, taken the day of her disappearance by an undisclosed person. Two days later, a pair of Bywater's eyeglasses were found, spurring the GBI to join the search Thursday.

The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information on Bywater is encouraged to contact Detective Smith (706-613-3888, ext 795) or GBI Special Agent Rebecca Shaw (1-800-597-8477).

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