The victims who plunged into an icy lake on Monday were identified as a group of parents visiting with the spot with their children (Picture: AP)
A group of parents were identified as the victims who died after falling through the ice in an Arizona lake on Monday, authorities said.
Narayana Muddana, 49, and his wife, Haritha Muddana, were identified by as two of the victims of the tragic fall at Woods Canyon Lake in Coconino County, Arizona.
A third victim, Gokul Mediseti, 47, was also identified as a parent from a group of three families visiting from Chandler, Arizona, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office stated.
Sheriff’s deputies responded to a 911 call on Monday afternoon reporting that three people had fallen through the ice at Woods Canyon Lake. They recovered Haritha’s body immediately, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Narayana Muddana and Haritha Muddana were identified as two of the victims in the Woods Canyon Lake tragedy (Picture: GoFundMe)
Gokul Mediseti is survived by his wife and child (Picture: GoFundMe)
It took first responders another day to locate the two fathers. Deputies were forced to use a boat, divers, and additional personnel from the neighboring Gila County Sheriff’s Office to aid in the search.
All three victims were identified as Indian nationals, but were residents of Arizona. The families had driven to the lake from Chandler for a day trip.
‘They wanted to get some pictures out on the ice,’ Coconino County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Jon Paxton told ABC15. They managed to make it pretty far out onto the lake before falling into the water, which was below 30 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday.
‘Hypothermia sets in very quickly at that point. And if you’re not a swimmer, it’s that much more difficult,’ Paxton said.
Sheriff’s deputies use a boat and dive teams to locate the missing bodies in Woods Canyon Lake (Picture: AP)
Two children and another adult woman tried to rescue the drowning parents, but were unable to help after falling into the water themselves.
Narayana and Haritha are survived by their two young daughters, one age 11 and the other age 7. Sheriff’s deputies called the Arizona Department of Child Safety to take custody of the girls.
‘We wanted to make sure that they felt as safe as possible,’ Paxton said. ‘We tried to keep them warm and away from the scene as best we could.’
A family friend has set up a GoFundMe to raise money for the orphaned girls, as well as for Mediseti’s surviving wife and child. The fundraiser has already raised over $600,000.
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Two children and another adult woman tried to rescue the drowning parents, but were unable to help after falling into the water themselves.
