Family of father & son who drowned in Whitewater make plea for more safety measures
The family of the father and son who drowned at the Whitewater River on Labor Day makes plea to officials and the county to add more safety measures in the area.
Authorities say 41-year-old David Martinez-Garcia died while attempting to save his son, 7-year-old David Martinez after he fell in the river. Martinez-Garcia was confirmed dead after being pulled out of the river while his son died after being transported to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs.
The family told KESQ & CBS Local they want authorities to do more to make the area inaccessible to the public and prevent any more tragedies like this to happen.
“We just don’t want anyone else losing their life there, yes, it’s a beautiful place but the lack of danger signs or no trespassing signs or any indication of precautions would have helped avoid this,” the stepson/brother of the victims said.
As we reported yesterday, the area has signs that read “No Trespassing,” however, in the specific area where the tragedy happened, there are no signs that warn of the dangers of drowning, as do certain other areas with a heavy water flow.
Cal Fire officials say that water in the river can hit speeds nearing 25 miles per hour. After Monday’s tragedy, the agency took to remind the public that it is illegal to swim in the river. Despite the dangers, locals say they often see people swimming and lounging by the bridge where the boy and his father were swept away.
Yesterday, we spoke with people who regularly visit the area. Many said they always see people in the area as they drive by.
“Usually when we drive by there’s a lot of people out here with their lounge chairs just enjoying their time,” said Julissa Montenegro, a frequent visitor to Whitewater.
Watch our special report on Whitewater residents who fear illegal tourism may endanger lives
The family noted that this was the first time the father and son had visited the popular Whitewater River, noting that “they saw people already down there by the river, they thought it ok since everyone goes there.”
The family has created a GoFundMe page to help with funeral expenses, you can view that page by clicking here.
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