A mother died in Utah on Tuesday after deputies said she dove in a lake to save her 2-year-old son, who fell off a moving houseboat.
The Denver Post reported that Chelsey Russell, 33, leapt after her son when he fell into Lake Powell in San Juan County, Utah, on Tuesday afternoon.
According to deputies, the boy fell off of the moving houseboat and his brother was able to untie a smaller boat when it shut down, but it wasn’t in time to save Russell.
Deputies said the “conscious child was rescued from atop the mother’s chest.”
The Denver Post said Russell was pulled from the water unconscious and CPR was administered, but she was pronounced dead after 30 minutes.
“There are no words to convey the tragedy of losing a loved one like this,” Teri Tucker, Acting Superintendent of the national recreation area, told the Denver Post. “Our hearts are with the family and friends of the victims during this time of unexpected pain and loss.”
Neither Russell nor her son were wearing life jackets at the time, according to the Denver Post. The incident is currently being investigated by the National Park Service, San Juan County Sheriff’s Office and Utah State Parks.
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