Father, son among four dead in weekend drownings

It was a deadly weekend on the water across metro Atlanta. Four people drowned on Sunday -- three on Lake Lanier and one in the Chattahoochee River. 

On Sunday afteoon, police say a father and son drowned while playing catch at Three Sister Island on Lake Lanier. Authorities say 50-year-old Leonel Torres was trying to save his 15-year-old son, Elton Torres, when he went under.

"He loved going to the lake," said Victor Rivas, Leonel Torres' nephew. "He loved that boat, took really good care of it. I mean, he would always invite family members and friends, just about anybody."

Hall County rescuers said the Torreses were playing ball along the island when the ball got away from them and Elton Torres attempted to retrieve it.  Apparently, Elton Torres ran into trouble in the deeper water and his father rushed in to rescue him. Minutes later, according to authorities, both had drowned.

Rivas said Leonel Torres was a tow-truck driver who loved his family very much. He also said Elton Torres was a math genius at Gwinnett County's Math, Science and Technology Academy.

"My cousin was real young," said Rivas. "He had a future for himself, and for it to happen this way is just really sad."

Other family members are coming in from across the country to support the Torres family. No funeral arrangements have been set yet.

Later Sunday evening at Lake Lanier, police say a 20-year-old drowned near Old Federal Park. According to Hall County Fire Services, Beto Silva was attempting to walk across a sandbar to a nearby island.

”If you step to the left or the right off of that area, then you are in 20 feet of water, and apparently that is what happened. This individual could not swim, said Scott Cagle with Hall County Fire Services.

”His brother immediately tried to jump in after him and tried to get him. He took in water himself and became distressed and was able to make it back to the bar, Cagle said.

About an hour later, dive teams found Silva’s body.

”Very young, very young; it is very sad, said Marian Vargas, who was on the beach and witnessed what happened.

Silva is from Peoria, Illinois, but his brother said he lived in Gainesville part of the year.

The latest drowning happened a little after 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Cobb County police said 22-year-old Ibrahim Sanusi, of Stone Mountain, went under near the Sandy Point National Recreation Area, along the Chattahoochee. Search and rescue teams were called out but, because of darkness and water conditions, were unable to locate his body until Monday moing.