Cops: They Watched Teen Drown, Then Drove Away

The drowning of an 18-year-old at a North Texas lake has led to felony charges—not for causing his death, but for what allegedly happened afterward. Dallas police say 19-year-old Lucas Roper and a 17-year-old were arrested on charges of tampering with evidence following the April death of Daniel Erving at Lake Ray Hubbard, per ABC News. The Dallas County Medical Examiner ruled Erving's death an accidental drowning. Investigators say Erving was last seen jumping from a railroad bridge with Roper and the juvenile, who allegedly left the scene in Roper's car after Erving went under without reporting the incident.

According to an arrest affidavit, Roper is accused of tossing Erving's clothes into a tree line and directing the juvenile to throw Erving's phone into a ditch; both items were later recovered, police say. Roper allegedly told detectives he panicked and deleted his texts with Erving because he "did not want to get into trouble." Both suspects are charged with third-degree felony evidence tampering as the case continues. An attorney for Erving's family has called for more serious charges, "including but not limited to murder," per WFAA. Sean Daredia says Erving was on a swim team, per KTVT, and "for these two suspects to say he drowned and they left, it doesn't add up."