Man dead, child rescued after drowning call at Lake Pleasant, MCSO says

MARICOPA COUNTY, Ariz. - A man is dead and a child was rescued after being pulled from Lake Pleasant's Fireman's Cove on Sunday afternoon, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office said on July 16.

The call came in around 1:30 p.m.

42-year-old Ignacio Quintero Jr. was swimming with his 5-year-old cousin when the boy's mother noticed him "bobbing in the water barely staying afloat," Sgt. Joaquin Enriquez with MCSO says.

The child was rescued from the water and was unresponsive, but then gained consciousness after he received CPR. He's now out of the hospital and is recovering.

As for Quintero, he was found underwater and was pulled to shore by a good Samaritan. He wasn't able to be resuscitated and died at the scene.

"At this time is unknown how well the decedent could swim. The victim and the child were not wearing personal flotation devices," Sgt. Enriquez says.

Authorities haven't detailed what led up to the tragedy.

As for the number of drownings at Lake Pleasant, "We have had 5 since Memorial Day, 6 with today's and 8 for 2023," Sgt. Enriquez says.

Initially, authorities said the victim was 25 years old, but after more investigating, they learned he was 42. There were also reports of the man being the boy's dad, but authorities identify them as cousins.

No more information is available.

Strangers rush to help

A mother named Iris and her son Nomar say the memory of this afternoon will weigh heavy in their minds.

"We feel for the family because it was just chaos all over the place," she said. "It’s just, you know, having to see it, it’s just emotional."

It was around 1 p.m. during their family lake day when they heard shouting.

"We’re sitting down, and just kind of looked up and they already had him on the floor," she remembered.

People swimming and paddleboarding in the Fireman’s Cove area scrambled to help. People started screaming that there was no service to call 9-1-1.

"I told my son just call because I was struggling with my phone, and he finally got his through. He got the information through, but then it cut," Iris said.

One man, she says, was doing CPR until paramedics arrived.

Iris says she’s heartbroken by the news and sends her condolences to the family.

"It’s sad that you come to have a good time, and something like that happens," Iris said.

Map of where Lake Pleasant is: