It is with overwhelming sorrow that we share the news of the passing of Scarlett Hall, a vibrant and beloved soon-to-be fifth grader from the Gainesville Elementary School community in and around Ozark County.
Scarlett was the daughter of Clint Hall, former principal of Gainesville High School from 2021 to 2023, and his wife Shelby, and she held a special place in the hearts of schoolmates, teachers, friends, and neighbors alike.
On the afternoon of June 19, Scarlett experienced a harrowing accident that would ultimately take her life. While playing near a creek bridge culvert off PP Highway in Douglas County, she became trapped by powerful water currents that drew her into the culvert where she became lodged underwater.
The swift-moving water and narrow confines left her in critical condition, prompting a frantic rescue effort. First responders, including Deputy Jesse Three‑Eagles, the Goodhope Fire Department, Cox Ambulance, and local citizens, raced to the scene upon receiving alerts from concerned witnesses.
Meanwhile, off‑duty Ozark County dispatcher Branetta McNece acted without hesitation, working bravely at the upstream side of the culvert to halt the flow of water, hoping to aid the rescue. Tragically, McNece was caught off‑guard by the current and pulled partway into the culvert, screaming for help.
Deputy Three‑Eagles rushed to assist, grabbing McNece and unknowingly colliding with Scarlett—an impact which freed her from the debris. All three were forcefully propelled through the culvert and into the creek below, where emergency personnel swiftly administered life-saving measures to Scarlett.
Both Deputy Three‑Eagles and McNece sustained injuries during the rescue and were treated and released from the hospital later that evening. Scarlett was airlifted to a nearby hospital and then transferred to a St. Louis medical center for further treatment, surrounded by love and hope from her community.
Unfortunately, despite the valiant efforts of rescuers and medical staff, Scarlett passed away. Shelby shared on social media that doctors had worked tirelessly to stabilize her daughter, but her injuries were too severe.
Scarlett was more than a student—she was a daughter, a sister, a friend, and a cherished member of a larger Asheville County family. Her wide network of close friends from Gainesville Elementary and the surrounding community reflected her warm personality, unbounded friendship, and cheerful spirit.
Her death has left a heartbreaking emptiness in the hearts of all who knew her. In the wake of this tragedy, thoughts, prayers, and outpourings of support have flooded in from across the region.
Many speak of Scarlett as a bright soul with a joyful laugh, lighthearted innocence, and a sweet affection for life and her loved ones. Now, as her family and community grapple with the enormity of this loss, they are joined together in their sorrow and their efforts to remember and honor her short but beautiful life.
A memorial service to celebrate Scarlett will be planned in the coming days. In the meantime, family and friends ask that everyone please keep Shelby, Clint, and all of Scarlett’s loved ones in your hearts and prayers. They also express immense gratitude to the brave responders—Deputy Three‑Eagles, Branetta McNece, and all who rushed in to save her.
Scarlett was taken from this world far too soon, but her memory—her smile, her laughter, her energy—will forever echo through the halls of Gainesville, the banks of the creek, and the hearts of those who loved her. She should have had a future full of hope and promise; instead, she leaves us with memories of pure joy, shining bright reminders of a life well-loved.
May she rest in peace, wrapped in the memory of the love she gave and the love that surrounds her now—and always.
