WATSON - The Lac Qui Parle County Sheriff's Department has identified the woman and child who drowned in Lac Qui Parle Lake near Watson Saturday.

The sheriff's office says cold water, improper life jacket use and non-life jacket use likely led to the deaths of 5-year-old Fernanda Mendoza and 34-year-old Claudia Ramirez, both of Montevideo.

At 3 p.m. Saturday a boat containing the victims and 35-year-old Fernando Mendoza of Montevideo started taking-on water due to high winds and rough water near Boyd's Landing. Eventually the boat tipped, dumping all the occupants in the water. Fernando Mendoza made it to shore and called for help.

The child and Ramirez were removed from the water, and Fernanda was declared dead at the Dawson Hospital, and Ramirez was declared dead at the Montevideo Hospital.

The incident is under investigation by the Lac Qui Parle County Sheriff's Department.

This story courtesy of KWLM of Willmar.

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