Coroner identifies Colorado Springs residents killed in Lake Pueblo kayaking incident

Two adults were killed and a child was hospitalized after three kayaks capsized in high winds and waves Sunday afternoon at Lake Pueblo, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

The adults were identified Monday morning by Pueblo County Coroner Brian Cotter as Larry Foster, 26, and Catherine Dawes, 44, both of Colorado Springs.

According to a CPW news release, the incident started when a kayak carrying an adult and child capsized in heavy waves driven by winds that gusted from 35-45 mph. Two more kayaks, each carrying a single adult, tried to help but also capsized due to the high winds and waves.

All four people were in the water near the sailboard beach area on the north shore of the lake.

CPW rangers received a call for help at 3:23 p.m. and Ranger Kristopher Gard arrived in his truck while Rangers Joe Portteus and Josh Kloshime arrived by boat and found four people in the water. Gard jumped in, grabbed the toddler, and performed CPR until emergency medical crews arrived. The child was flown by UCHealth's LifeLine helicopter to a hospital in Colorado Springs for treatment.

One of the adult victims was recovered almost immediately by Portteus and Kloshime, CPW said, while the other was retrieved within the hour with the use of an underwater drone under about 20 feet of water.

Both bodies were turned over to the coroner to determine the exact cause of death, identify the remains and notify the relatives.

More on Colorado water deaths:2022 deadliest year in Colorado history for water recreation, with 6 deaths in Pueblo

CPW declined to comment on whether the individuals in the kayaks were wearing life jackets and said additional details would have to be released by the Pueblo County Coroner's Office. The coroner's office did not immediately return the Chieftain's request for comment.

“This is another heartbreaking tragedy and we send our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of these victims,” said Joe Stadterman, Lake Pueblo park manager. “We continue to urge everyone to pay close attention to weather conditions and to wear life jackets when they are on or near the water so we can avoid future tragedies like today.

The incident marks the seventh and eighth water-related deaths this year at Lake Pueblo. There were five drownings and one death due to a boating accident at the lake earlier this year.

Colorado has recorded 38 water-related fatalities so far in 2022 — the most in state history. If Sunday's deaths are confirmed to be drownings, it would bring the state's total to 36 recreation-related drownings this year. In 2020, Colorado had 34 total water-related deaths and the state recorded 22 drownings in 2021.

CPW spokesperson Bill Vogrin told the Chieftain in September that by far the biggest factor in this year's water-related deaths has been that many of those who died were not wearing life jackets.

“Water will kill you, and you need to wear a life jacket,” Vogrin said. “People died in such a variety of ways, and the one common denominator was they weren’t wearing life jackets. People who drowned … died falling in from the shore, wading into what they thought was shallow water that dropped off; they drowned silently and quickly before the eyes of their loved ones and friends.

“Don’t underestimate the risk of water. It’s not good enough to have a life jacket strapped to your paddle board or to have it under the seat in your boat or to be sitting on it in your kayak or canoe. You need to wear it.”

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Questions, comments, or story tips? Contact Justin at jreutterma@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @jayreutter1.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: 2 adults killed in Lake Pueblo drowning, kayaking incident