Chelsea Russell, 33, of Lakewood, Colo., drowned at about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday near Halls Crossing while keeping the 2-year-old boy above the waves, the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office reported. The woman was then pulled from the water but was unresponsive.
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The San Juan County Sheriff’s office says the houseboat traveled a “significant distance” from the two before being shut off.
Neither Russell nor the child was wearing a life jacket, a recurrent theme in drowning deaths at Lake Powell. She grabbed the boy and held his head above water as the houseboat continue to move away.
Although the entire ordeal lasted just moments, by the the time family members had reached the mother and son, Chelsey was unconscious. CPR began in the boat as the victim was taken to the Hall’s Crossing Marina where it continued for approximately thirty minutes more.
Russell is listed as an associate at a law firm, Welborn, Sullivan, Meck & Tooley.
The 2-year-old child was flown to Flagstaff Medical Center in Arizona in stable condition for a precautionary medical evaluation.
Boaters on Lake Powell 12 and under are required to wear life jackets.
Russell, a Denver-area attorney, will be missed by her community. The firm posted a statement on its website saying: “Chelsey was an awesome mother, an exceptional legal talent, an extraordinary athlete, a loyal and generous friend, and left us all better for knowing her”.
This is the sixth fatality in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area this year.
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Sias is the acting chief ranger at the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. “Our hearts are with the family and friends of the victims during this time of unexpected pain and loss”.
