Ashley Gil, a 20-year-old woman, was jet skiing at a Texas lake. She sent a video to her boyfriend, having fun on a watercraft. She, however, later fell into the water, where she tragically drowned, with authorities finding a body that matched her description.
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According to ABC13, the incident occurred on Tuesday, June 17. Gil was at Lake Houston, jetskiing in a WaveRunner. Around noon, she sent her boyfriend, Jason Campos Rodriguez, a video of her in the watercraft. This was the last time the couple spoke.
During the day, while riding on the WaveRunner with two other people, Gil fell into the water. While Rodriguez saw her in the video wearing a life vest, investigators who gathered witness accounts stated that she wasn’t wearing one during the accident.
As a result, Gil vanished, being swept away by the water.
Authorities, including the Houston Police Department, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, and other first responders, started looking for Ashley Gil. Two days later, on Thursday, June 19, a dive team found a body that matched Gil’s description.
While the medical examiner’s office is yet to officially identify the body, Gil’s family told ABC13 that they were informed the body was, in fact, Ashley.
Circumstances Under Investigation
Gil’s boyfriend, Rodriguez, alongside her family, told the outlet that a fisherman saw how, after Gil fell into the water, the rest of the group she was with did not urgently look for her.
“To be honest with you, they didn’t even pay attention,” Rodriguez said. “They didn’t even know when they lost her … where they lost her, they looked like they didn’t even care.”
The fisherman corroborated this account, saying that he was the one who called 911. The Houston Police Department is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding Gil’s death, pending the medical examiner’s office autopsy report.
“When you see someone that has so much potential, leave this world…,” Rodrigues told KHOU. “This is just, I mean, it’s just sad in and of itself, and it’s hard to accept that she’s not here anymore.”
A GoFundMe was set up by Kathy Gil, Ashley’s sister. All money raised will help cover her funeral expenses and other additional costs.
“Ashley was a bright light in the lives of so many, full of love, laughter, and kindness,” the fundraiser reads. “She had an incredible spirit that touched everyone around her. Her absence leaves a deep void in the hearts of our family, friends, and all who knew her.”