Family of drowned kayaker demands more safety regulations for Colorado’s deadliest body of water

PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- In September, Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced that 2022 was the deadliest year on record for Colorado's water. Out of the entire state, Lake Pueblo State Park was the deadliest body of water. Since then, two more people lost their lives while on Lake Pueblo. Now, the family of one of the victims is asking if more can be done to try and percent any more tragedies from happening.

Sunday, two kayakers, 26-year-old Larry Foster and 44-year-old Catherine Dawes, became the seventh and eighth water-related fatalities at Lake Pueblo in 2022.

Foster's family acknowledged that he wasn't wearing a life jacket when winds picked up and flipped his kayak over. Still, they told 13 Investigates that there should be more oversight at lake Pueblo.

"One person is too many and there needs to be more awareness and safety," Foster's mother Rebecca Mayo said. "They know people are going to go in this lake and there needs to be some kind of legislative law, some kind of change for people who are going to go out there."

In September, 13 Investigates obtained data from Colorado Park and Wildfire that indicated Lake Pueblo was far and above the deadliest body of water in Colorado with, at the time, six water-related fatalities. Only Lake Dillion, flash flooding Larimer County, and Clear Creek had more than one death. Lake Dillion has three deaths. Larimer County and Clear Creek have had two.

"Lake Pueblo is the busiest state park in Colorado and the more people that are out there, the more chances there are for accidents," Colorado Parks and Wildlife's Joey Livingston explained. "Most of these fatalities were preventable if people had worn a life jacket."

Since 2003, children 12 years of age and younger are required to wear a personal flotation device (PFD) whenever their vessel is on the water. However, a mandate for adults has never been enacted. It has always been a recommendation that can turn into a citation if a boat or vessel does not have enough life jackets for the number of people on board.

According to the 2022 Boating Handbook with Regulations and Statutes, canoes and kayaks of any length and all other boats less than 16 feet in length have to have a single wearable Coast Guard-approved Type I, II, III, or IV life jacket for each person on board. Adults don't have to be wearing a PFD, they just need to have one with them while in a kayak.

Larry's family recommends a variety of changes to the way Lake Pueblo is monitored including safety precautions that can be put in place to protect the public who use the lake recreationally.

"There is nobody there that is actually watching the water. There is no safety coordinates for where you can and can't go or where it may be more dangerous," Larry's brother D'Angelo Mayo said. "There is no oversight. They don't consider any safety and they leave it open to the public."

Foster's family describes him as an avid outdoorsman that should have been able to survive his kayak capsizing in the water near Sailboard Beach at Lake Pueblo.

"If there were more people to help ensure safety, my brother wouldn't be dead," Mayo said.

When 13 Investigates spoke with CPW in September, they warned of the dangers of water-related activities, specifically at Lake Pueblo where high winds pick up speed nearly every afternoon.

CPW said they don't believe the water-related deaths have anything to do with staffing or an oversight by the department. According to a CPW spokesperson, help was provided to Foster within three minutes of him going into the water.

"People don't understand that we have some very steep drop-offs at some of these lakes and the water depth can jump ten feet and you may not even know that you are underwater," Livingston said.

Foster's stepson was wearing a life jacket when their kayak flipped. He was transported to Children's Hospital and will survive.

CPW said they cannot emphasize enough how important wearing a life jacket is on any body of water. Even while doing activities like stand-up paddle boarding.

CPW told 13 Investigates it applauds the efforts of their Park Ranger who was on the scene and helped save the life of Foster's stepson.

13 Investigates reached out to Governor Jared Polis on the eight water-related deaths in 2022. Below is a statement his office provided:

The Polis Administration is committed to improving water safety so that Coloradans and visitors can safely enjoy Colorado’s outdoors. These deaths are tragic and our condolences go out to the loved ones of those lost. Necessary safety steps, including wearing a life jacket and being aware of changing or adverse weather conditions are important to protect the safety of those recreating in Colorado’s rivers and lakes. The state is focused on public education and outreach encouraging the use of PFD’s and to be weather aware.

Office of Governor Jared Polis

Additional rules and regulations on life jackets and boating safety can be found on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website.