An eyewitness said she was shocked to see the car take a deliberate u-turn and head toward the lake.
Trigger warning: This article contains graphic descriptions and, themes of grief and suicide that some readers may find distressing
The Lakeland Police Department reported a tragic accident that involved the death of a woman and her two children. The mother and her two children were found dead in a drowned car in Lakeland. The woman was named Ortilla Zamora and hailed from Wauchula and as per IndependentNewsForLakeland. She was believed to be mentally ill. Officers went to Lake Wire at 5.25 a.m. after hearing reports of the submerged car to conduct an investigation into the matter. In order to help remove and search the car, the Lakeland Fire Department and Dive Team were also called to the scene, ABCnews reported.
We're hearing from an eyewitness after a mother and her 2 young sons were found dead in submerged car in #LakeWire in #Lakeland. The eyewitness, who called @LakelandPD, says the car made a "deliberate" turn into the downtown lake. Details: https://t.co/ON79BRp7Te @abcactionnews pic.twitter.com/TpG8QuHhne
— Chad K. Mills (@ChadKMills) December 31, 2022
The front driver's side window was down when the search team began looking for the submerged car, and at least one adult was discovered inside, based on the Lakeland Police reports. Sadly, when the car was pulled out of the lake, two kids were also found inside. A preliminary investigation stated that there was no evidence suggesting an accident. They said all evidence pointed to it being done on purpose. No one inside the submerged car displayed any signs of trauma. The police revealed that the people found in the car were a 35-year-old woman and her two sons, aged four and nine years old. Police are still investigating how and why the vehicle ended up in the lake. Eyewitness Kim Seaboldt, who was present at the scene and claims to have seen the incident while driving to work.