Mom Drowns in Lake Erie Trying to Save 2 Girls

A Buffalo mom tried to save her 11-year-old daughter and a 10-year-old friend after they ran into trouble in the rough waves of Lake Erie, but she ended up drowning herself, WIVB reports. Evans police received a distress call from Wendt Beach just before 7pm yesterday, reports the Buffalo News, and when they got there, they found out that Mary Creighton, 51, had gone in after the two girls. The 10-year-old made her way back to shore, but rescuers had to go in after Creighton and her daughter, who were about 100 yards from shore, the paper reports.

A lieutenant swam out to where he saw a head bobbing, which turned out to be Creighton's daughter. He had trouble navigating the turbulent waters himself, and another officer had to come rescue him and the girl; Creighton's body was found about an hour later, reports WKBW. Lake Erie was experiencing rough weather yesterday, with 5- to 6-foot waves and winds of more than 26mph, NOAA reports, per WIVB. "This type of wave action will literally pull you right out, you get an undertow," a local fire chief tells the station. (A Florida mom called 911 about two drowning toddlers—without realizing at first that they were hers.)