FOX31 Denver

Lotus band member, son still missing after kayaking in Arkansas

DENVER (KDVR) — A rescue mission for a Denver band member and his son has turned into a recovery mission after the pair went missing while kayaking in Arkansas, according to the band’s Twitter.

Chuck Morris of the Denver band Lotus and his son Charley went kayaking on Beaver Lake in Arkansas on March 16 and haven’t been seen since. According to the band’s Twitter, the search for Chuck and Charley has moved to a recovery.

The band said that a K-9 team has found a probable location on the lake but the recovery efforts might take some time due to the water temperature, weather and the depth of the lake. Sonar is also being used as part of the search.

“It’s just something you never expect to hear,” said bandmate Luke Miller. “We all hope for the best, but it didn’t work out.”

The Benton County Sheriff’s Office told FOX31’s Evan Kruegel that the kayaking trip started around 11 a.m. on March 16. Chuck and Charley were supposed to return around 2 p.m., but when it got to 4 p.m. with no sign of them, police were called and began searching.

Two kayaks and a coat were found in the water.

While crews continue to look for the father and son, Lotus said they plan to celebrate Chuck and Charley’s lives.

“When I do think about him, it just breaks me up,” said Miller. “We’ll still be playing in his honor. He wouldn’t want us to stop.”

“While we are deeply grieving, we plan to celebrate Chuck and Charley’s lives, our memories with them, and what they meant to so many people,” said Lotus on Twitter.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help support the family’s financial needs.

“My hope is that my boys are safe and at peace. I feel the prayers and I feel the love from afar. I’m so appreciative of the love and the light that I saw and I see in my husband and son is seen by people across the world,”  said mom and wife Jennifer Thompson to FOX31’s sister station KNWA in Arkansas.

Lotus is a jam, electronica house band formed out of Philadelphia and Denver. Chuck was a percussionist for Lotus and had just finished a five-week tour with the band.

According to the band’s website, their next tour date was set for March 31 in Florida. The band has not said whether they plan to cancel or reschedule the date.