Honduran man visiting family in Bogalusa drowns while saving kids

WASHINGTON PARISH, La. (WVUE) - A 24-year-old Honduran man drowned while vacationing in Louisiana for the Memorial Day weekend, authorities report.

The incident happened on Sunday, May 28, at White Sands Lake in Bogalusa, Louisiana.

The Washington Parish Coroner’s Office says Óscar Molina, 24, was helping kids get out of the deep end of the water when he became unable to get out himself.

“Our hearts are broken by the events of Sunday,” White Sands Lake shared in a Facebook post. “Please know that we are in prayer for the family and anyone else present on Sunday.”

Witnesses on social media describe the event as traumatic, with some criticizing the staff’s response.

“I will never be back,” Cecilia Marquez wrote on Facebook. “I’m disappointed with the whole staff and the authorities and how they handled everything.”

“The rest of the nonsense you are reading on the Internet is false,” White Sands managers continued in their statement. “Out of respect for the family, we will not be discussing the details.”

See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Click Here to report it. Please include the headline.

Copyright 2023 WVUE. All rights reserved.