A woman tragically lost her life over the weekend after her service dog accidentally dragged her into a river and they both drowned. The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the deceased is 63-year-old Mary Marshall, a Menifee, California resident, in a press release on August 18.
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At approximately 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 17, Fresno County Sheriff’s dispatchers received an emergency call. It reported that a woman had fallen into the Kings River and had not resurfaced.
After more than two hours of searching the vicinity of S. Rio Vista and E. Vino Avenues in Reedley, deputies from the boating and dive units successfully recovered the body of Marshall, a retired U.S. Marine Corps member, along with her German Shepherd.
“Neither of them was wearing a life jacket,” authorities noted.
The sheriff’s office reported that Marshall was part of a group of twelve friends who annually visited the Kings River for a floating adventure downstream. However, the trouble began when she secured her raft to another one.
The Events That Led to a Woman and Her Service Dog Drowning
Marshall’s service dog “was on a leash, which was tethered to a harness she was wearing,” police explained. “The rafts veered into a tree on the river, which caused them to get stuck. 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 leash became wrapped around a tree branch underwater, causing Marshall and her dog to remain submerged,” police explained. Authorities reported that the dog’s leash needed to be cut to free both once their bodies were found.
Meanwhile, Marshall’s children, Leah and Laithe, started a GoFundMe campaign. The donations will cover “expenses that are not covered under her military service plans.” They’re raised $10,931 of a $20,000 goal as of this writing.
“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 campaign page. “Our mom was taken from us far too soon in a heartbreaking river accident that has left our family devastated.”
Marshall’s children remembered her not only as a great mother, “but a former Marine with 20 years of service, a friend, a sister, a daughter, and a fierce protector to everyone who knew her.”
Meanwhile, the FCSO strongly encouraged anyone entering bodies of water to wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket and recommends equipping pets with one as well. They also advised that only experienced swimmers participate in water activities and emphasize caution regarding heat, avoiding alcohol, and being aware that currents can be stronger than they appear.