Family mourns woman who drowned while walking dog in park: “Be safe”
Lake Wenham in Beverly
By Tiffany Chan, Tammy Mutasa
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DANVERS, Massachusetts (WBZ) — Family members of a Massachusetts woman who died after falling into Wenham Lake while walking her dog spoke about her on Thursday, urging other dog owners to be careful when out this winter.
Fell through ice on lake
“It’s just the worst, it’s the worst,” said a tearful Susan Kasozi, the sister of Owen Kasozi. “But the irrational part of you is hoping that someone’s made a mistake, someone’s made a mistake, like, someone got the wrong information. They found her but she’s not dead, she’s not dead.”
Thirty-year-old Owen Kasozi, who was from Danvers, went missing on Christmas Eve while she was out walking her dog near the trails at the JC Phillips Estate in Beverly like she did every day. Her body was pulled from the icy Wenham Lake on Christmas.
“It’s looking more like she ran after Boca, ran onto thin ice, didn’t realize it was thin ice and it gave out on her,” said Susan Kasozi.
Boca was later found alone in Topsfield and Owen Kasozi’s car was found nearby but she never returned home.
With temperatures plunging well below freezing on Christmas Eve, it was a nerve-wracking 24 hours for the family, who held out hope until they received the devastating news.
“It’s one of those situations that you never want anybody to be at,” said Susan Kasozi.
A “very vibrant, outgoing person”
Owen Kasozi’s siblings described their sister as a vibrant person who expressed herself with makeup, colorful hairstyles and tattoos.
“Her hair was always colorful,” said her sister, Alex Nakato Kasozi. “It changed every single time I walked through the door.”
“A very vibrant, outgoing person. Considerate,” described Danstun Kasozi, Owen Kasozi’s brother.
Urging dog owners to be careful
They said they only thing she loved more than her family was her beloved rescue dog, Boca.
“That’s her heart, her soul,” said Susan Kasozi. “I don’t think she stopped to think as she was chasing him.”
It’s that unwavering love that likely cost Owen Kasozi her life. Her siblings will now care for Boca in her memory. Their message for pet lovers is to be careful.
“It’s a split-second decision that can change your life, change your family’s life, can change so much,” said Susan Kasozi. “Just be safe.”
An online fundraiser for Owen Kasozi has raised close to $9,000 as her family plans to lay her to rest.
Dangers of thin ice
Even though the temperatures plunged below freezing, Beverly Deputy Fire Chief Ryan Laracy said you really need several days of subzero temps before testing the ice.
“It was very cold the past two nights, but that’s just not enough time to get a good layer of ice that several adults could be out on and trust it,” said Laracy.
Once you’re in the frigid water rescuers said time is not on your side.
“It only takes a couple minutes for a person to essentially become incapacitated,” said Laracy. “In the cold, your brain, your muscles, everything does start shutting down, you lose strength very quickly.”
Firefighters said one of the best things you can do is always have your phone with you to call 911 or always have another person with you, and never try to go after someone who has fallen through thin ice. They said call for help instead.
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