Church community mourns loss of three who died at Franklin Lock in Alva

By Elyse Chengery

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    ALVA, Florida (WBBH) — NBC2 learned more on Monday about the victims who died at Franklin Lock in Alva.

A close friend of the victims’ says there was a youth event from the church on Saturday.

Once it wrapped up, a group of people stayed behind to swim, and that’s when this tragedy occurred.

The three young men went to the Jesus Es La Verdad Church along Palm Beach Boulevard. A memorial sits inside the church with pictures and flowers. The three were remembered during Sunday’s service.

“It’s just sad — we still can’t process it, especially my husband. He’s the one that’s feeling it, though. Well, every one of us, especially the family. Imagine you see your son leave in the morning, and you’re waiting for him to come back, and he never does, so yeah, it’s kind of difficult to process. We still can’t believe it’s true, but eventually, I guess it was time to go, but it’s been really hard to assimilate that they are gone,” said Neyda Velasquez, a friend of the victims.

Velasquez said family and friends are still in shock. She saw one of the victims last Wednesday, just three days before the tragedy occurred at the Franklin Lock and Dam.

“I’ve known them since I started attending the church that’s right behind us. They were sweet young gentlemen that were dedicated to the work of our Lord Jesus,” Velasquez said.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said 17-year-old Santos Tiul-Chen had no swimming experience, went into the water and struggled. Pedro Pascal, 21, jumped in to try and save Santos.

LCSO said he also started struggling. Victor Leonardo Pedro Gaspar, 19, swam in to help both, but the three didn’t survive despite paramedics trying lifesaving measures on scene Saturday.

Velasquez said two of the victims knew how to swim and that they were heroes for running in to help their friend on Saturday.

“It’s actually something heroic. They did to try to save their friend that was drowning, but it all soundly ended in tragedy, trying to save their one loved friend,” she said.

Through the investigation, NBC2 also learned a fourth person was involved and survived after they tried to run in and help the victims.

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