Sheriff: Body of man who gave life jacket to daughter recovered from Canyon Lake

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Jorge Chapa Gonzalez drowned in the Comal River on July 4, 2017, according to police. Gonzalez, 29, was found unconscious in the river by swimmers. 

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The body of a man who was last seen sacrificing his life jacket for his daughter on Canyon Lake was recovered Tuesday after a two-day search, officials with the Comal County Sheriff’s Office said.

Michael Talley, a 45-year-old from the Houston area, was on a jet ski with his daughter Sunday when the pair made a sharp turn and were flung into the water. Though both had life jackets on, Talley threw his to his daughter, who swam to shore.

Authorities were dispatched to the lake around 1:45 p.m. after Talley’s family saw him go under water. 

MORE CANYON LAKE DROWNINGS: Body of 65-year-old found floating hours before drowned teen pulled from water

The body found by a nonprofit search and rescue group positively was identified as that of Marc Ma, officials said Monday. The 21-year-old University of Nevada — Reno football player drowned last summer while paddle boarding near Homewood in Lake Tahoe. His parents, who live in Hawaii, want to pass along the message of wearing a life jacket. Despite Ma being a very strong swimmer, he was not wearing a life jacket when he fell into the lake and drowned.

Media: KCRA / KQCA US

Talley’s body was recovered near the spot where he went under  after 8 a.m.Tuesday by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Game Wardens and officials with the county.

He was pronounced dead by Justice of the Peace Judge Jennifer Saunders.

The parks department is conducting an investigation into his death.

kbradshaw@express-news.net

Twitter: @kbrad5

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Mom took dead daughter’s body on a road trip: cops

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A woman drove for two days with her dead 11-year-old daughter in her truck before hitting a guard rail in West Virginia, where authorities say witnesses saw her dragging the body into the woods.

The driver, 37-year-old Erica Newsome, has been jailed on charges of concealing the body of her daughter, Kaye-lea Plummer.

The Pocahontas Times reports that Newsome told authorities after Sunday’s crash that they left Jacksonville on Friday to drive to the home of the girl’s father in Buffalo, New York.

State Police Sgt. Herby Barlow told the newspaper that it was obvious the girl did not die from injuries in the accident.

Barlow said a couple traveling on the same highway reported seeing Newsome remove a body from her vehicle and drag it over a hill. They were found on an old logging road about 150 feet beyond an embankment, he said.

The mother was jailed on $50,000 bail while investigators search for evidence in Florida.

“At this time, foul play is suspected in the child’s death and we believe the death occurred in Jacksonville, Florida,” the sheriff’s office there said.

The girl’s father, Donath Plummer, told WJXT4 television in Jacksonville that Newsome texted him Saturday morning, saying she was bringing their daughter to Buffalo.

He said they married in 2007 and separated two years later. He said he hadn’t seen them since Newsome moved with Kaye-lea to Jacksonville in 2014, but he would check on his daughter regularly by phone.

“We didn’t always agree on everything, but she was a great mother. I don’t know how this could have happened,” Plummer said. “Something is very, very wrong. She needs help. She really needs help.”

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