Grim discovery in search for missing dad who disappeared on Lake Lanier
A man's body has been pulled from a Georgia lake amid a desperate search for a father-of-five who disappeared on Wednesday.
Dustin Valencia, 43, was reported missing by his wife after he ventured out on Lake Lanier on a kayak, resulting in a massive search for the father-of-five.
The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office announced two days later that the fire department and Department of Natural Resources recovered a body from the lake, but are yet to make a formal identification.
There have been more than 200 fatalities on Lake Lanier over the last 20 years. The body of water has been was named as one of the most dangerous lakes in the United States.
The search and rescue mission for Valencia was initiated on Wednesday evening after his wife reported him missing when he didn't pick their children up from school.
Valencia was last seen having his car serviced at 1pm. His wife grew concerned when he didn't pick their children up two hours later and tracked his phone to an address near the lake.
She went to the address, but Valencia was nowhere to be found. Authorities then started to search the area to find the missing dad.
The sheriff's department found Valencia's black Honda Accord parked near the lake and discovered he had gone for a kayak ride.
Later that day, his inflatable kayak and paddles were discovered and reported to the sheriff's office.
Deputies told local ABC affiliate, WALB-TV, that the seats in the kayak were not inflated or installed.
The kayak was found floating in the lake, and an individual reported it to the sheriff's office. Deputies added that Valencia hadn't been wearing a life vest.
Authorities scaled Lake Lanier on Wednesday night and Thursday morning but came up with nothing.
The sheriff's department followed up on a lead Friday morning and located an unidentified man's body in 51 feet of water.
Community members have set up a Meal Train to support the Valencia family with food and financial support. The description described Valencia as a 'devoted husband and father-of-five.'
One of Valencia's friends, Dillon Taylor, told WALB-TV, during the search, that if the situation were reversed, the family 'would be on the front lines.'
Although the body recovered by the sheriff's department hasn't yet been identified, it marks another tragedy on Lake Lanier.
Last May, a man named Matthew Mayo, 73, drowned while fishing on a bass boat with his wife.
The shocking death made national news and prompted an article in Time magazine speculating whether the lake was 'haunted.'
In 2023, there were 13 recorded fatal drownings, which was the highest amount in comparison to other Georgia lakes, according to the Department of Natural Resources.
The second highest number of drownings was at Lake Allatoona, with only three recorded instances.
In the last 20 years, there have been over 200 fatalities on Lake Lanier. It was named as one of the most dangerous US lakes by Islands.com alongside Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Lake Erie, and Lake Piru.
DailyMail.com reached out to the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office for an update on Valencia's case but didn't immediately hear back.
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