FINAL UPDATE: Authorities say an autopsy will be conducted on the body of Natalie Zellers, 38, Fort Wayne. Zellers was swimming in Little North Lake in Silver Lake Saturday when, at about 6 p.m., she fell from a boat and never resurfaced.
Indiana Conservation Officers say Zellers was swimming with her husband from a boat on the small lake that connects to Silver Lake at the far north end. Both Natalie and her husband were wearing life jackets while in the water, but removed them once they climbed back into the boat.
Natalie was standing on the front of the boat when she fell backward into the water. She went under the water and never resurfaced. Her husband attempted to rescue her while other witnesses called 911.
Indiana Conservation Officers responded to the call with emergency responders from several agencies. At 9 p.m., utilizing side scan sonar, her body was located on the bottom of the lake in 22 feet of water.
Indiana Conservation Officers and the Kosciusko County Coroner will be conducting the death investigation.
Assisting at the scene was the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department, Silver Lake Police, Silver Lake Fire, Warsaw Police, Warsaw Fire, Lifemed EMS and Indiana State Police.
UPDATE: Police have confirmed that the body of a female was recovered from Little Silver Lake at about 9 p.m. Saturday. Her identity has not yet been revealed.)
BREAKING: A 38-year-old female may be the victim of a drowning in Silver Lake.
Fire officials and other emergency crews are en route to the scene, which is on North Little Lake, also known as Little Silver Lake, to the north of Silver Lake. Reports to the 911 center indicated the female went under water and did not resurface.
North Little Lake is not accessible by road, so the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department and conservation officers with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources are on scene and utilizing sonar in an attempt to locate the victim.
Officials on scene say the lake where the victim disappeared has a depth of 25 feet.
More information will be available as the story develops. Samaritan has been called to the Silver Lake Fire Department for standby.
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