Colorado mom drowns in Lake Powell rescuing 2-year-old son

A 33-year-old woman died at Lake Powell Tuesday while rescuing her 2-year-old son who had fallen overboard from a houseboat into the lake.

The woman, identified as Chelsea Russell of Lakewood, was on a moving houseboat in the Hall’s Crossing area with her son when he fell off.

The houseboat had been traveling about 8 miles per hour toward shore when the boy, playing with another child, somehow fell off, San Juan County Sheriff Rick Eldredge said Friday.

The child was flown to Flagstaff Medical Center in stable condition and for a precautionary medical evaluation. Neither had on life jackets, Fox 13 in Salt Lake City reports. She was taken to Hall’s Crossing Marina, where she was pronounced dead.

The cause of death is presumed to be drowning, pending coroner’s confirmation. The conscious child was rescued from atop the mother’s chest, but Russell was unconscious when pulled from the water.

It’s the sixth death at the recreation area this year.

Boaters on Lake Powell 12 and under are required to wear life jackets.

CPR was attempted for an extended period of time on Russell but the efforts failed to revive her.

Russell’s co-workers at a Denver law firm remembered her as a “superstar” attorney, mother and marathon runner who competed in a 100-mile race past year. She jumped in the water to help him; neither of the two were wearing life jackets. Throughout that time, she kept her son above water, her family told authorities. “She is sorely missed”, it read.

“There are no words to convey the tragedy of losing a loved one like this”, said Teri Tucker, Acting Superintendent of the national recreation area.

Her fellow attorneys told CBS4 that not only was Chelsey a superstar attorney, friend and mother, she was also an incredible athlete who recently completed a 100-mile run through Leadville.