Crime & Safety
Monrovia Couple Drowns At Lake Havasu
Her husband, Raul Gonzalez, then jumped into the water without a life jacket to rescue her, deputies said.
MONROVIA, CA — A Monrovia couple was identified Saturday as the two people who drowned at Lake Havasu City, Arizona, despite the efforts of two off- duty Los Angeles sheriff's deputies. Esmeralda Gonzalez, 41, and Raul Gonzalez, 44, were pronounced dead at the Crazy Horse Docks, according to ABC15 in Phoenix.
The couple were on a boat floating Friday afternoon just west of the Crazy Horse Cove when Esmeralda Gonzales jumped into the water without a life jacket to swim. She began to panic, the Mohave County Sheriff's Office told ABC15.
Her husband, Raul Gonzalez, then jumped into the water without a life jacket to rescue her, deputies said. Both reportedly were seen struggling in the water before they went under.
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The woman was pulled out of the water just before 3:30 p.m. and off- duty Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies were performing CPR on her at the Crazy Horse Docks when firefighters arrived and pronounced her dead, the sheriff's office said. Raul Gonzalez was found a short time later in about 12 feet of water.
Another adult and two young children were on the boat at the time of the drownings, and deputies said alcohol may have been a factor.
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The family has started a fundraising effort on GoFundMe, in which they wrote:
“On July 21st, 2017 we lost two amazing people in a tragic accident. Raul and Esmeralda were a loving couple who had been married for two years and had a 6 month old daughter named Lulu. Raul was a loving father who was a leukemia survivor who dedicated the rest of his life to helping the children at the Children Hospital in Los Angeles. Raul was loved by everybody around him and in the community and was known to always be there for everybody and would put everybody’s needs before his own. Esmeralda was a loving wife and mother who devoted her life to her kids and her husband. She always put them first above anything and was a true blessing to Raul and her children. We are asking for help in this time of need to help pay for their services and arrangements. We appreciate anything you can help us with. Thank you and God bless.”
City News Service
Image via the family's GoFundMe