Tragedy in Arizona: 3 people die after breaking into ice while taking a photo on a frozen lake
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Families were taking photos, but the ice broke causing the six people to fall into the frozen water, only three managed to survive, two of them were girls who were orphaned after the tragedy
Three people died while trying to take a photo on a frozen lake in Arizona and fell through the ice, according to authorities.
The three victims were with five others at the lake at the time, sheriff's office spokesman Jon Paxton said.
The victims included a couple with two children who were on the scene, Paxton said.
3 Indian-Americans have drowned after they fell through the ice while walking on a frozen lake at Woods Canyon Lake in #Arizona. They were identified as Narayana Muddana, 49, Gokul Mediseti, 47, and Haritha Muddana #Diaspora #Indians #IndianAmerican #disaster pic.twitter.com/1a5mH7Urp0
— TheSouthAsianTimes (@TheSATimes) December 28, 2022
Deputies responded to a report of two men and a woman walking on a frozen lake and falling through the ice, according to the Coconino County Sheriff's Office.
The victims had been trying to take a photo on the ice and were about 25 to 35 yards from the shore when they fell, he said.
The men were identified as Gokul Mediseti, 47, and Narayana Muddana, 49, and the woman was identified as Haritha Muddana, according to the sheriff's office. They all lived in Chandler, Arizona, authorities said.
Rescuers pulled Haritha Muddana out of the water, but she was pronounced dead. The two men were found the next day.
Paxton said the three were part of a group of three families who had come to the lake from their homes in Chandler, a Phoenix suburb, to enjoy nature the day after Christmas.
Firefighters narrated that the minors and a woman tried to rescue their loved ones and also fell through the ice, but managed to get out alive.
By the time they got out of the water and were able to call 911, it was too late.
The Arizona Department of Child Welfare has temporarily taken custody of the Muddanas' two young daughters, authorities said.