A Colorado mother, Chelsey J. Russell has died saving her 2-year-old son from drowning in Lake Powell, Utah. The 35-year-old mother and her son were in a houseboat with family in the Hall's Crossing region of Lake Powell on August 23 when the young child fell overboard.


The mother of two jumped in the water to save her boy.  Neither were wearing a life vest. 


"At approximately 2:30 pm on Tuesday 08/23/16, a 2 year old child fell from a moving houseboat in the Hall’s Crossing area of Lake Powell in San Juan County, Utah. The child was not wearing a life jacket. The mother of the child jumped into the water and was able to grab the child. The mother was also not wearing a life jacket.

" A significant distance developed between the mother and child and the houseboat before the houseboat could be shut down. A family member was able to untie a smaller boat being towed from behind the houseboat and get to the mother and child before going completely under the water.

"The conscious child was rescued from atop the mother’s chest; however, the mother was unconscious when pulled from the water. CPR began in the boat as the victim was taken to the Hall’s Crossing Marina where it continued for approximately thirty minutes more. The victim, identified as Chelsea Russell of Lakewood, Colorado, was then pronounced dead," San Juan County Sheriffs Office said in a release.