A boys' camping weekend has ended in tragedy after a young father dislocated his shoulder swimming across a swollen river - and was mysteriously found dead four days later.
Dean Gray, his younger brother and some of their closest friends packed their bags for a few days away on a property along the Namoi River near Narrabri, about 500km north-west of Sydney, on October 16.
But what should have been a weekend of BBQs and campfires took an alarming twist when the fit and healthy 25-year-old hurt himself while swimming 50m across the gushing river.
Katt Armour, a close family friend, told Daily Mail Australia his mates knew the coal miner was hurt by the time he got to the other side, and instructed him to stay put and not to try and cross the river again.
Dean Gray, pictured with his fiancée Taylor Baxton and their son Boston, vanished during a camping trip
Pictured: A photo posted by Dean's friends to show what he was wearing the day he went missing
'They told him not to move while they tried to find a safe way to get to him,' the 28-year-old said.
'By the time they got back, he was gone.'
Katt said the river was bone-dry much of the time she lived in Narrabri but had started flowing again due to recent heavy rainfall.
Police launched a large-scale land, air and water search of the surrounding areas, along with the help of a number of friends who raced to the town to lend a hand.
Dean and Taylor (pictured together) got engaged in about 2018, before they had their son Boston
Pictured: The Namoi River near Narrabri, where Dean went missing. The river is regularly dry, but filled in recent months after heavy rainfall
Katt, who lived in Narrabri before she moved to Thirlmere in Sydney's south, desperately wanted to join the search but was hamstrung by regional Covid restrictions.
All she could do was apply for approval to leave Greater Sydney and keep in touch with Dean's fiancée Taylor Baxter.
'They searched tirelessly every day - organised meet ups, used helicopters and divers,' she said.
Family members and friends campaigned on social media or more people to join the search.
Taylor (pictured with her family) is devastated by the death of her fiance, and is now a single mum
Katt said Dean was an amazing father and that two-year-old Boston will likely grow up to be just like his dad
Two days after he vanished, Taylor
