Latest news with #ForsythCountySheriff'sOffice
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Body of missing father of five found in Georgia lake after kayaking trip
The body of a father of five who vanished last week while kayaking on a Georgia lake has been discovered underwater, police said. Dustin Valencia, 43, was reported missing Wednesday by his wife after he did not show up to pick up his children from school, the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office said. A search ensued and authorities tracked his last location to Lake Lanier in Georgia, where they found Valencia's car parked nearby, along with his flip-flops and the bag used to store his inflatable kayak. On Friday, the department announced that game wardens with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, using sonar equipment, located a body in the lake. Divers from the Forsyth County Fire Department recovered the remains from about 51 feet of water near the center of a cove. Navy Vet Dad Found Dead Near Resort While At Popular Vacation Destination With Family On Monday, the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office confirmed the body was that of Valencia. Read On The Fox News App In the days following his disappearance, Valencia's kayak and paddle were found floating near the outer edge of the cove. Friends say he was training for a triathlon and had likely gone kayaking for exercise. Authorities said the 43-year-old kayaker was not wearing a life vest at the time of his drowning. "My understanding is that he was not wearing a life vest," an official said, according to Fox News affiliate Waga-tv. "Even strong swimmers can have a medical emergency or cramp. If that happens, and you're not wearing a life jacket, you're at serious risk." Wisconsin Kayaker Accused Of Faking His Own Death, Fleeing Country Charged With Obstruction An official cause of death has not been released. The case remains under investigation by the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office Major Crimes Unit. The sheriff's office referred Fox News Digital to the department's press release. "Please continue to share [and] pray," a GoFundMe for the family said. "The Valencia family feels your love and strength, and they are deeply grateful for the community that surrounds them." Lake Lanier, where Valencia disappeared, is home to a popular local legend. The ghost story of the Lady of the Lake involves a woman in a blue dress who is said to haunt the lake after dying in a car accident there in the 1950s. The man-made lake has a maximum depth of about 160 feet and was created in the 1950s by the U.S. Army Corps of article source: Body of missing father of five found in Georgia lake after kayaking trip
New York Post
19-05-2025
- New York Post
Body found in ‘haunted' Georgia waters made famous by ‘Lady of the Lake' confirmed as missing dad of five
The body of a father of five who vanished last week while kayaking on a Georgia lake — long rumored to be haunted — has been discovered underwater, according to reports and authorities. Dustin Valencia, 43, was reported missing Wednesday by his wife after he didn't show up to pick up his children from school — with cops then finding his car parked at Little Ridge Park on Lake Lanier, 11 Alive reported. 3 Dustin Valencia, 43, was reported missing Wednesday by his wife after he didn't show up to pick up his children from school. Forsyth County Sheriff's Office After an extensive search, a body, later determined to be Valencia, was found in a cove 51 feet below the surface of the lake on Friday, cops said. Evidence suggested that the devoted father of five and a triathlete had gone kayaking on the lake, but his inflatable raft was nowhere to be seen, according to authorities. A huge search was launched Thursday on land and water, with multiple units using drones and specialist marine search equipment. 3 The body was found in a cove 51 feet below the surface of the lake on Friday, cops said. 11 Alive Friends and family also joined the search to find Valencia. Lake Lanier, where Valencia disappeared, was built in the 1950s over submerged towns, forests and cemeteries — and has been a location for eerie scenes in the Netflix drama 'Ozark,' CNN reported. Since 1994, over 200 people have died in the lake's waters — with locals long suggesting the lake is haunted. 3 Evidence suggested that Valencia had gone kayaking on the lake, but his inflatable raft was nowhere to be seen, authorities say. 11 Alive One of the most-repeated legends is the 'Lady of the Lake,' supposedly the ghost of a woman whose car crashed into the lake who has since been spotted restlessly wandering at night in a blue dress. The nature of Valencia's death remains under investigation, the Forsyth County Sheriff's office told the outlet.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Yahoo
4-year-old killed in Forsyth County ATV crash
The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office is investigating an all-terrain vehicle crash that left a 4-year-old dead and a teenager injured. According to the sheriff's office, the crash happened at about 7:45 p.m. Sunday on Valley Stream Drive near Campground Road. Deputies said a 16-year-old boy was driving an ATV with a 4-year-old boy as a passenger, and neither were wearing helmets. As the ATV was driving east on Valley Stream Drive, the driver braked and tried to take a sharp right turn. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: Body recovered at Lake Lanier confirmed as missing kayaker Dustin Valencia Johns Creek teen cashes over $545K in fake checks to pay lawyer in separate fraud case, police say Coweta county mom charged with DUI, endangering 2 children after high-speed chase The ATV was moving too fast, causing it to overturn and both boys were thrown from it. When the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office and Fire Department got to the scene, the 4-year-old was pronounced dead and the 16-year-old was taken to North Fulton Medical Center with minor injuries. The sheriff's office says the case remains under investigation by their Traffic Specialist Unit. Neither boy has been identified. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Yahoo
Body recovered at Lake Lanier confirmed as missing kayaker Dustin Valencia
The body found Friday at Lake Lanier is Dustin Valencia, 43, of Cumming, Forsyth County Sheriff's Office confirmed Monday morning. Authorities recovered the body Friday during a search of the cove where Valencia paddled from, and where the kayak and paddle were found. Stacie Miller, the public information officer, said the major crimes unit of the sheriff's office is continuing to investigate the case. No additional information is available. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Valencia's wife reported him missing Wednesday after he left home and didn't arrive to pick up their children at school. Authorities found his Honda Accord in the Lakeside Park parking lot. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Someone discovered Valencia's kayak the same day he disappeared and returned it to a lost and found. Once he saw the news reports Thursday evening, he reported what he found to the authorities.
USA Today
17-05-2025
- USA Today
Body found in Lake Lanier, days after kayaker goes missing, sheriff's office says
Body found in Lake Lanier, days after kayaker goes missing, sheriff's office says Between 1994 and 2024, more than 200 fatalities have occurred at Lake Lanier, which is located in northern Georgia. Show Caption Hide Caption How to report a missing person Here's how to take action when a person goes missing. Authorities in Georgia have recovered a body from Lake Lanier, and while they have identified the individual, the discovery comes days after a kayaker went missing at the lake. The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office announced the recovery of the body on the afternoon of May 16, and the update came hours after the kayak and paddle, believed to belong to Dustin Valencia, 43, were reportedly found. According to the sheriff's office, Valencia, a father of five children, went missing on May 14 when he took his family's Intex inflatable kayak on the largest lake in Georgia, which contains over 38,000 acres of water and over 690 miles of shoreline. In the May 16 afternoon update on the search, the sheriff's office said that although the body was recovered from the lake, no positive identification has been made. The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office did not immediately return a request from USA TODAY for an update on May 17. Valencia was believed not to have a life vest, but he did have one plastic oar, the sheriff's office said. When Valancia's kayak was found, the seats were "not inflated or installed," WALB reported, citing the sheriff's office. What happened before Dustin Valencia disappeared? Valencia's wife, Jennifer Valencia, reported her husband missing on May 14, telling deputies that their children were the last to see him after he left earlier in the day to have their vehicle serviced, according to an incident report obtained by USA TODAY. Valencia returned home that day around 1 p.m. before leaving in their black 2006 Honda Accord, his wife told deputies, per the incident report. When Valencia did not pick up the couple's children from school at 3 p.m., his wife tried to call his phone, but received no response. Using the "Find My iPhone" app, Jennifer Valencia tracked her husband's last known location, however, he wasn't at that location when she arrived to look for him. At this point, she contacted law enforcement to file a missing persons report, the incident report reads. Valencia's wife confirmed that he does not suffer from any known medical conditions or mental health issues, and that there were no known threats of self-harm. She stated that her husband usually communicates with her regularly and always keeps her informed, the incident report continued. While canvassing the area Valencia was last known to be, deputies found the family's black Honda Accord parked at Little Ridge Park on Lanier Beach South Road. Assuming Valencia may have gone kayaking, deputies searched the nearby water and walked surrounding trails, but they could not locate him, the incident report says. Photos: Tornadoes, severe weather kills at least 23: See photos of damage in Missouri, other states Deaths at Lake Lanier since 1994 reach over 200 While the body has not been identified, it signals another death at Lake Lanier, where between 1994 and 2024, more than 200 fatalities have occurred, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Law Enforcement Division. Lake Lanier drownings, deaths (2018-2024) 2018: 8 drownings, 11 total deaths 2019: 8 drownings, 11 total deaths 2020: 7 drownings, 10 total deaths 2021: 4 drownings, 9 total deaths 2022: 6 drownings, 7 total deaths 2023: 13 drownings, 13 total deaths 2024: 3 drownings, 4 total deaths Total: 49 drownings, 65 total deaths Jonathan Limehouse covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at JLimehouse@
