The bodies of two teenagers and a 12-year-old girl were discovered in the Missouri River in Omaha, Nebraska, after a two-week search.
The bodies of 18-year-olds Laiana Green and Lah Tray Moo, as well as 12-year-old Eh Cress Moo, were recovered from the Missouri River on April 29, the Omaha Fire Department confirmed on Facebook on Wednesday.
According to local stations KETV and WOWT, Laiana, Lah, and Eh went missing while fishing at Omaha’s N.P. Dodge Park recreational area on April 15.
A witness told WOWT that they saw four girls fishing when one of them slipped into the river and the others went in to rescue her. According to the station and her family, only one of them, a 13-year-old girl, avoided being swept away and made it safely back to shore.
According to the fire department, officials discovered Lah’s body on the night of April 26 and Laiana and Eh on the morning of April 29, respectively.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of these girls,” the department stated on Facebook. “The loss of these young lives has touched our entire community, and our hearts continue to be with you now and in the days ahead.”
USA TODAY has reached out to the Omaha Fire Department for more information.
Families of victims lean on each other
Nichelle Griffy, Laiana’s aunt, told KMTV that her family is relieved the search has ended despite the tragedy, and that the families are leaning on one another.
“We are relieved to have all three girls physically together now. “We are sad but thankful,” Griffy told KMTV, adding that they are finding comfort in one another. “Our community is growing stronger. The benefit is… the support that we have for one another because we are all experiencing the same loss right now.”
A GoFundMe page for Laiana Green’s family stated that the 18-year-old, known by the nicknames LaiLai or Pooh, “acted selflessly and bravely in a moment of chaos.” The page stated that it is seeking donations for funeral services and had raised more than $3,000 as of April 30.
A separate GoFundMe page for Lah and Eh stated that Lah was Eh’s aunt, and the tragedy has been a nightmare for the family. As of April 30, the page, which is raising funds for funeral expenses, had raised nearly $7,000 in donations.
The families of the victims are urging officials to improve safety measures along the river, such as adding more warning signs and enforcing lifejacket use, WOWT reported.