Father of five found dead in Lake Lanier after disappearing during kayak trip
The body of a father of five who vanished last week while kayaking on a Georgia lake has been discovered underwater, police said.
Dustin Valencia, 43, was reported missing Wednesday by his wife after he did not show up to pick up his children from school, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office said.
A search ensued and authorities tracked his last location to Lake Lanier in Georgia, where they found Valencia’s car parked nearby, along with his flip-flops and the bag used to store his inflatable kayak.
On Friday, the department announced that game wardens with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, using sonar equipment, located a body in the lake. Divers from the Forsyth County Fire Department recovered the remains from about 51 feet of water near the center of a cove.
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The body recovered Friday from Lake Lanier has been identified as missing kayaker Dustin Valencia, a father of five from Cumming, Georgia. (The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office)
On Monday, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the body was that of Valencia.
In the days following his disappearance, Valencia’s kayak and paddle were found floating near the outer edge of the cove. Friends say he was training for a triathlon and had likely gone kayaking for exercise.
Authorities said the 43-year-old kayaker was not wearing a life vest at the time of his drowning.
“My understanding is that he was not wearing a life vest,” an official said, according to Fox News affiliate WAGA-TV. “Even strong swimmers can have a medical emergency or cramp. If that happens, and you’re not wearing a life jacket, you’re at serious risk.”
Dustin Valencia disappeared May 14 after failing to pick up his children; his belongings were found near Little Ridge Park, and his kayak was later located in the water. (Dustin Valencia/Facebook)
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An official cause of death has not been released. The case remains under investigation by the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit. The sheriff’s office referred Fox News Digital to the department’s press release.
“Please continue to share [and] pray,” a GoFundMe for the family said. “The Valencia family feels your love and strength, and they are deeply grateful for the community that surrounds them.”
Lake Lanier, a reservoir in Atlanta, Georgia, that is a popular destination for water sports enthusiasts. (Getty Images)
Lake Lanier, where Valencia disappeared, is home to a popular local legend. The ghost story of the Lady of the Lake involves a woman in a blue dress who is said to haunt the lake after dying in a car accident there in the 1950s.
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The man-made lake has a maximum depth of about 160 feet and was created in the 1950s by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.