Bodies of 2 teens, 12-year-old girl found in Nebraska's Missouri River after weeks missing
The bodies of two teenagers and a 12-year-old girl have been found in the Missouri River in Omaha, Nebraska, following a two-week search.
The bodies of 18-year-olds Laiana Green and Lah Tray Moo, and 12-year-old Eh Cress Moo were all recovered from the Missouri River as of April 29, the Omaha Fire Department confirmed on Facebook on Wednesday.
Laiana, Lah and Eh went missing on April 15 while fishing at N.P. Dodge Park recreational area in Omaha, according to local stations KETV and WOWT.
A witness said they saw four girls fishing when one of the girls slipped into the river and the others went in to rescue her, WOWT reported. Only one of them, a 13-year-old girl, managed to avoid being swept away and safely returned to shore, according to the station and her family.
Officials found Lah's body on the night of April 26 and later found Laiana and Eh the morning of April 29, the fire department said.
"We extend our deepest and most heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of these girls," the department wrote on Facebook. "The loss of these young lives has touched our entire community, and our hearts continue to be with you now and in the days ahead."
USA TODAY has reached out to the Omaha Fire Department for additional information.
Families of victims lean on each other
Laiana's aunt, Nichelle Griffy, said her family feels relief the search has ended despite the tragedy and the families are leaning one another, KMTV reported.
"We're feeling relief that we have all three girls physically now. We're sad but we're thankful," Griffy told KMTV, adding that they're finding comfort in each other. "We are a community that is strengthening. The gain is ... the support that we have for each other because we're all sharing the same loss right now."
A GoFundMe page for Laiana Green's family said that the 18-year-old, who went by the nicknames LaiLai or Pooh, "acted selflessly and bravely in a moment of chaos." The page said it is seeking donations for funeral services and has raised over $3,000 as of April 30.
A separate GoFundMe page for Lah and Eh said that Lah was Eh's aunt, and that the tragedy has been a nightmare for the family. The page, which is seeking financial support for funeral expenses, raised nearly $7,000 as of April 30.
The families of the victims are urging officials to improve safety measures such as adding more warning signs and enforcing lifejacket usage along the river, WOWT reported.
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