Woods Canyon Lake: CCSO identifies 3 people who died after falling through ice
FOREST LAKES, Ariz. (AP) - A mother and father of two as well as another parent, all Indian nationals, were the drowning victims recovered from a frigid Payson lake.
The Coconino County Sheriff's Office says the three victims died after they fell through the ice while walking on a frozen Woods Canyon Lake on Dec. 26.
The incident happened on the lake at night, which is located about 34 miles east of Payson. According to a statement released by CCSO, deputies stationed at a substation in the area were called to the lake after two men and a woman were walking on the frozen lake and fell through the ice.
"Responding Deputies and Fire units were able to pull the female from the water and administer life saving measures but were unsuccessful," read a portion of the statement. "The search continues for the two male individuals."
On Tuesday, the sheriff's office said the bodies of the missing men had been recovered around 1 p.m.
The identities of the male victims are Narayana Muddana, 49, and Gokul Mediseti, 47. The female victim is Haritha Muddana. They lived in Chandler but were originally from India.
Narayana and Haritha were married. Gokul is a friend of the couple.
‘Shocked and shaken’
A neighbor and close friend is looking after the children of two of the Narayana and Haritha, and says they were great people and saw each other almost every day.
"I was literally shocked and shaken. I [wasn't] able to speak," Kishore Pittala said.
Pittala has lived next door to Haritha and Narayana for the last year. They moved in within weeks of each other and have seen each other every day since.
"His kids and my kids go to the same school. He does morning rides, and I pick up the kids in the afternoon," Pittala said.
Two daughters are left behind, ages 7 and 12. Pittala is looking after them until their grandparents can fly over from India.
"I’m still a little bit shocked, to be honest with you. So, I’m still looking at how these two kids … what’s their future? All that stuff. Most of the people are coming to see, to look after, and see the kids, how they are doing, and everything …" Pittala said.
Pittala says the group of friends were going for a day trip. He was also invited but was too tired after coming back from a trip to Mexico, so stayed home, never imagining the turn the trip took.
The friends were taking photos, he says, out on the ice when it broke. Other friends ran out to help, like Gokul, but he fell in and never resurfaced.
"So total, seven members, including two children, fell into the ice. One of the ladies pulled the two children and two of the adults came back on their own, but three were not able to make it out," Pittala said.
Gokul leaves behind a wife and a child, says the GoFundMe page.
To help the families, you can donate to their GoFundMe and it can be found here.
Officials with the Coconino County Sheriff's Office say three people are dead after they fell through the ice while walking on a frozen lake near Payson.