Friends and family of Mary Marshall, a retired U.S. Marine Corps member, were thrown into mourning after she drowned during a get-together with friends. The incident took place on Saturday, August 17, 2024, at 3:00 p.m., according to the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office.
Police say the 63-year-old woman fell into the river alongside her dog and couldn’t come out because of a leash that bound them both together. Her children have expressed deep sadness over the death and said the family is “devastated” by the accident.
They described their mother as a “fierce protector.” They’ve also opened a GoFundMe to cater for the unexpected expenses. But how did Mary Marshall and her dog lose their lives?
What Happened to Mary Marshall?
Saturday, August 17, was like a regular day at the Kings River in Central California. Fun-seekers gathered at the location to enjoy some camping and 20 miles of whitewater rafting. Marshall, who was from Menifee, in California’s Riverside County, was there with her friends for a good time.
It was an outing that would last over the weekend, and Marshall wanted to make the most of it. However, at about 3:30 p.m., the “Fresno County Sheriff’s dispatchers received an emergency call regarding a woman who had fallen into the Kings River and had not resurfaced,” the police statement disclosed.
Police then began a search of the area. After two hours of scouring the S. Rio Vista and E. Vino Avenues, deputies finally found her dead body. They also recovered the body of her German Shepherd, Suki. “Neither of them was wearing a life jacket,” county authorities revealed.
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Details of the Accident That Killed Mary Marshall and Her Dog
Reports show that Mary Marshall was setting up her raft when the unfortunate situation occurred. Describing how the accident happened, police said Marshall’s dog “was on a leash, which was tethered to a harness she was wearing.”
“The rafts veered into a tree on the river, which caused them to get stuck,” Fresno law enforcement said. “The dog jumped off the raft, causing it to flip over, sending Marshall into the water. Even more troublesome was her body was still attached to the dog by the leash,” the sheriff’s statement continued.
Reports state that Marshall and her pet were stuck under the river’s flowing water for quite a while. They were trapped against an object called a “strainer,” which is difficult to free oneself from. “The leash became wrapped around a tree branch underwater, causing Marshall and her dog to remain submerged.”
The police also disclosed that to rescue the bodies, they had to first cut the leash. “It just happened so fast. By the time when we turned around, we couldn’t find out what had gone down,” narrated Zaid Arriola, Marshall’s friend. Marshall’s friends disclosed that they’d been camping in the area for nearly 18 years, and none of them were strangers to the place.
However, they revealed that a similar incident had happened sometime before. “One of our friends had brought a dog to the river, and we put a sign up on the tree in remembrance of Pepa, a dog that we had here and tragically had passed away,” Dennis Sonney, another of Marshall’s friends, revealed.
Mary Marshall’s Children Confirmed the News
Mary Marshall’s two children, Leah and Laithe, confirmed the news while setting up a GoFundMe appeal. “It is with broken hearts that my brother and I share the tragic loss of our beloved mother, Mary, and her service dog, Suki,” the siblings wrote on the crowdfunding appeal.
“Our mom was taken from us far too soon in a heartbreaking river accident that has left our family devastated.” As of Tuesday, August 20, the GoFundMe had received over $10,000. The children specified that the funds would go towards footing the “unexpected expenses that are not covered under her military service plans.”
What Her Kids Said About Her
The children described their late mom as a “former Marine with 20 years of service, a friend, a sister, a daughter, and a fierce protector to everyone who knew her.”
“Our mom dedicated her life to caring for others, and now we want to honor her in the way she deserves. Mary was a single mom who raised us with love, strength, and determination. Now it’s our turn to give her the respectful farewell she so deeply deserves,” the GoFundMe support appeal stated.
Speaking about the character of the deceased, one of her friends, Kevin Horn, said Mary Marshall was a source of strength in his life. “She always had some encouraging things to say. She wanted to make sure we were all having a good time.”
In their statement, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office used the opportunity to share some safety advice with residents. They urged residents going close to water bodies to wear life jackets approved by the U.S. Coast Guard. They also recommended that they get the jackets for their pets.
The statement also warned that only experienced swimmers should participate in water activities so they don’t drown. In addition, they advised residents who can swim to be wary of the heat, stay away from alcohol before going into or near the water, and remember that “the current is often stronger than it appears.”
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