Father of 5 now missing after kayaking on the infamous Lake Lanier

5 hours ago 14

The kayak and paddle of a antheral who went missing portion astatine Lake Lanier successful Georgia person been recovered, but helium is obscurity to beryllium found, section authorities said.

The hunt for Dustin Valencia, 43, is ongoing aft helium went missing connected May 14 erstwhile helium took his family's Intex inflatable kayak connected the largest water successful Georgia, which contains much than 38,000 acres of water and implicit 690 miles of shoreline, the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office said.

On May 16, the sheriff's bureau said Valencia's yellowish and grey kayak, on with a paddle, were recovered by a national connected May 14. The national reported the find to the bureau connected the nighttime of May 15.

Despite the kayak and paddle being retrieved, the sheriff's bureau said Valencia has not been found. The seats successful Valencia’s kayak were besides "not inflated oregon installed," WALB reported, citing the sheriff's office.

On the time of his disappearance, helium did not person a beingness vest and was believed to person 1 integrative oar, according to the sheriff's office. It is unclear if the beingness vest oregon the integrative oar has been recovered.

Dustin Valencia's children were the past radical to spot him alive

According to an incidental study obtained by USA TODAY, Valencia's wife, Jennifer Valencia, reported him missing connected May 14 and told deputies that their children were the past to spot her hubby aft helium near earlier successful the time to person their conveyance serviced.

Jennifer Valencia past told deputies that her hubby returned location astir 1 p.m. that time earlier leaving successful their achromatic 2006 Honda Accord. When Valencia failed to prime up the couple's children from schoolhouse astatine 3 p.m., his woman attempted to interaction him by telephone but received nary response, the incidental study says.

Using the "Find My iPhone" app, Jennifer Valencia tracked her husband's past known location, however, helium was not astatine that determination erstwhile she arrived to hunt for him. At that point, she contacted instrumentality enforcement to record a missing persons report, the incidental study reads.

Jennifer Valencia confirmed that her hubby does not endure from immoderate known aesculapian conditions oregon intelligence wellness issues, and that determination were nary known threats of self-harm. She stated that her hubby typically communicates with her regularly and ever keeps her informed, according to the incidental report.

While canvassing the country wherever Valencia was past known to be, deputies located the family's achromatic Honda Accord parked astatine Little Ridge Park connected Lanier Beach South Road. Assuming Valencia whitethorn person gone kayaking, deputies searched the adjacent h2o and walked surrounding trails, but they could not find him, the incidental study says.

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More than 200 radical person died astatine Lake Lanier since 1994

While the hunt for Valencia continues, the dangerousness of Lake Lanier comes to mind, arsenic betwixt 1994 and 2024, more than 200 radical person died astatine the reservoir, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Law Enforcement Division.

In 2024, determination were 3 drownings, 30 full boating incidents, 21 full injuries, and 1 boating fatality astatine Lake Lanier, the Georgia DNR's information shows. Suicides oregon aesculapian events, including cardiac apprehension and strokes, are not counted successful immoderate of the reported data.

Lake Lanier drownings, deaths (2018-2024)