ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - A woman has died after trying to save her young daughter from drowning at a Stone Mountain Park lake.

The park’s police department said the family was hiking last Saturday when a 9-year-old slipped into the water after taking her shoes off on a rock. Her mother, identified by family as 44-year-old Maria Elvia, jumped in to save her, despite not knowing how to swim.

The girl’s brother got into the water and was able to save his sister, police said. She was taken to the hospital and is expected to recover.

The brother and Elvia’s husband also tried to rescue Elvia, but they couldn’t pull her above the water. A Stone Mountain Park police officer called to the scene recovered the woman, who was taken to the hospital and was in the ICU until she passed awa

See Full Page