The death of a three-year-old Modesto girl at Don Pedro Reservoir in Tuolumne County, California, is now being investigated as a homicide, according to the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff's office confirmed the development during a county board of supervisors meeting earlier this week.
Lailah Rosillo was pronounced deceased after emergency personnel responded to a 911 call on July 18 concerning a missing child who may have drowned in Fleming Meadows Lagoon at the reservoir. Witnesses located the child, and CPR was being administered when deputies, firefighters, and medics arrived on the scene. Despite their efforts, the child could not be revived and was pronounced dead before she could be transported for medical care.
Authorities are actively gathering information from individuals present at the reservoir on the day of the incident. Sheriff David Vasquez stated that this protocol is common in cases involving the death of a child. The Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help, specifically requesting any photos or videos that may show the child on a raft or boat with other children. They also wish to speak with witnesses who may have seen the child before she was found in the water, and any images of the large inflatable raft believed to be where she was playing prior to her death.
A GoFundMe page, created by a family friend, described the event as an "unimaginable nightmare" that interrupted a family camping trip. The page, which is no longer available, identified the child and spoke of her bright personality and the grief her family, including her older siblings and baby brother, are experiencing.
Don Pedro Reservoir, also known as Lake Don Pedro, is a popular recreational area in Central California. The investigation remains active as authorities work to piece together the events leading to Rosillo’s death.