Victim who drowned at park identified as Fresno woman, 47. The riverbed dropped off
The woman who drowned over the weekend at Skaggs Bridge Park near Kerman was identified Monday by the Fresno County Coroner’s Office.
Maria Dolores, 47, of Fresno was wading into the San Joaquin River around 4 p.m. Sunday while holding hands with her husband, the coroner’s office said.
They reached a point where the riverbed drops off to about 12 feet deep, according to the coroner’s office, and she slipped underwater.
Dolores did not know how to swim and she did not resurface, according to deputies.
Madera and Fresno county sheriff’s deputies and an American Ambulance rescue team responded to the scene about 4:30 p.m. She was recovered from the water but was beyond rescue, crews said.
One of the divers who searched for the victim required medical assistance at the scene upon exiting the river, rescuers said.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said Monday to be safe while doing activities in and around water, people should know their limits and take precautions such as:
- Always wear a life jacket.
- Do not enter the water if you’re not an experienced swimmer.
- Do not mix alcohol and swimming. Alcohol causes swimmers to fatigue faster than normal and can create dangerous situations.
- Be cautious of your footing in lakes and rivers. It’s not unusual to encounter a steep drop-off or have your feet get stuck in muddy conditions, which can be difficult to escape.
