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Body of 72-year-old man located 6 days after he went under water at Lake Pleasant

MCSO deputies say a man was swimming, went under the water and did not resurface around 2 p.m. Saturday.

PEORIA, Ariz. — The body of a missing swimmer was found Friday in the area of Humbug Cove at Lake Pleasant. 

The deceased swimmer has been identified as 72-year-old Gregory Elias, the owner of the former East Valley restaurant, Eli’s American Grille. 

Maricopa County Sheriff's deputies said there were no signs of foul play. 

Elias went under the water while swimming and did not resurface on Aug. 6, MCSO said. 

Lake Pleasant has been the site of several drownings, injuries and deaths so far this summer. 

The most recent occurred when a woman had to be airlifted to the hospital on July 22 after she was struck by a boat propeller at Lake Pleasant.


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Drowning Prevention Tips:

Drowning is the leading cause of death for children between ages 1-4 aside from birth defects, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Three children die every day as a result of drowning. Here are some tips from the CDC on how to protect children around water: 

Learn life-saving skills. 

Everyone should know the basics of swimming (floating, moving through the water) and CPR. 

Fence it off. 

Install a four–sided isolation fence, with self–closing and self–latching gates, around backyard swimming pools. This can help keep children away from the area when they aren’t supposed to be swimming. Pool fences should be completely separate the house and play area from the pool. 

Life jackets are a must. 

Make sure kids wear life jackets in and around natural bodies of water, such as lakes or the ocean, even if they know how to swim. Life jackets can be used in and around pools for weaker swimmers too. 

Keep a close watch 

When kids are in or near water (including bathtubs), closely supervise them at all times. Because drowning happens quickly and quietly, adults watching kids in or near water should avoid distracting activities like reading books, talking on the phone, or using alcohol and drugs. 

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