Three people fell through the ice while walking on a frozen lake to take some pictures. (representative)
Washington:
The two minor daughters of an Indian-American couple who drowned in the US have been handed over to a family friend and will soon fly to India to their grandparents, a media report said.
The girls, ages 7 and 12, were placed under the supervision of the Arizona Department of Child Safety after their father, Narayana Muddana, 49, and mother, Haritha Muddana, along with their family friend, 47-year-old Gokul Mediseti, drowned at the Woods Canyon Lake in Coconino County, Arizona, USA.
The Arizona Department of Child Safety had to be called Monday to come to Forest Lakes and take custody of the orphaned girls.
“You never get used to it. Especially when you’re dealing with the kids,” Jon Paxton of the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) told ABC15.com on Wednesday.
“We wanted to make sure they felt as safe as possible. We tried to keep them warm and away from the crime scene as best we could,” he added.
However, Kishore Pittala, Mr. Muddana’s neighbor and close friend, drove to Payson, Arizona, to get the two orphans out of the custody of the child safety department, the report said.
“I can see from the faces, I know they have some sadness. But for now they are fine,” Pittala told ABC15.
The two girls will soon fly to India, said Venkat Kommineni, president of the Arizona Telugu Association.
“Because (the) grandparents are there in India and they will take care of them,” Kommineni said.
On Dec. 26, three families — consisting of six adults and five children — drove out of the valley to enjoy the snowy outdoors.
“(They) wanted to take some pictures on the ice,” Paxton said.
During the photo on the ice, three people fell through and into the water of minus 30 degrees.
According to a statement from CCSO officials, “Deputies stationed at a substation in the area were called to the lake after two men and a woman walked on the frozen lake and fell through the ice.” Meanwhile, the community mourns and comes together to support the two families torn apart by an anticipated tragedy, the report said.
“He is a very nice, loving man. He is very kind at heart. Loved his children,” said Mr. Pittala.
Mr. Pittala told ABC15 that the Muddana family invited his family to Woods Canyon Lake a few days ago.
“Sunday night he sent me the link. ‘Hey, we’re going to this place. Want to join?’ I said, “No, I was already tired.” But two other families joined the Muddanas in celebrating Haritha’s birthday, the report said.
“In total, 11 people went there and as you know, two families were affected,” Kommineni said.
The parents, Narayana Rao and Haritha, fell into the icy water along with their friend Gokul, who leaves behind a wife and daughter.
“I was in shock,” said Mr. Pittala. “I don’t understand, did this really happen?” Mr Kommineni told ABC15 he was amazed at how many people have tried to help the girls directly.
“I think five people contacted me and said, ‘Are these kids up for adoption? We’d like to take care of their lives.'”
Three of them fell through the ice while walking on a frozen lake to take some pictures.
By the time someone got cell service up the hill and first responders arrived with their limited cold-water rescue equipment, it was too late, ABC15.com reported.
Rescuers pulled Haritha out of the water, but she was pronounced dead. The next day, the two men were found.
More than $500,000 has been raised through a GoFundMe fundraiser for affected families.
“The money goes (in) the children’s name — for their education, for their future, whatever they have to do in life,” Kommineni said.
Woods Canyon Lake is located east of Payson in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. It is an area popular with hikers, anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts.
More than a million Americans and Canadians are facing challenges as a massive winter storm continues to batter North America.
A bomb cyclone, when atmospheric pressure plummets, has produced snow, strong winds and freezing temperatures. Nearly 250 million have been affected and at least 19 deaths have been linked to the storm stretching more than 2,000 miles from Quebec to Texas.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DailyExpertNews staff and is being published from a syndicated feed.)
Featured video of the day
Delhi police officer loses 46 kilos in 8 months, leads by example