Search Continues for La Habra Girl Believed Drowned in Lake

Divers searched unsuccessfully for a second day Monday for a 4-year-old La Habra girl presumed drowned when her family’s overloaded boat capsized at Silverwood Lake in San Bernardino County, authorities said.

Marisol Quezada was lost when the rented, 14-foot aluminum boat capsized in 75 to 100 feet of water about half a mile north of the lake’s marina at 4:15 p.m. Sunday, said Ranger Ron Krueper of the Silverwood State Lake Recreation Area.

Krueper said wind chop and wakes from other boats caused the boat to capsize.

Marisol’s parents and six other children ranging in age from 4 to 10 were aboard, Krueper said.

“It swamped, throwing all the people in the water,” Krueper said.

Krueper said most of the family had life jackets but the girl was hanging onto a seat cushion and apparently slipped off and “disappeared into the water.”

Park employees and lifeguards were at the boat “within two minutes” and rescued a 5-year-old who was trapped beneath the overturned boat, Krueper said.

Krueper said the boat’s capacity is four people or a total of 670 pounds, and each person is supposed to be issued a life jacket.

“It was overloaded,” Krueper said. “It’s a very sad thing.”

Divers searched the area until dark Sunday and for another eight hours on Monday and will resume their efforts today, Krueper said.

They are hampered by “nearly zero visibility in the deep water,” Krueper said.