An 83-year-old grandfather, Ramiro Herrera, was found dead in Hansen Dam Lake three days after he disappeared during a walk at the Hansen Dam Recreation Area in Lake View Terrace, Los Angeles. His family organized extensive search parties themselves, growing to nearly 100 volunteers by the third day.
Herrera was last seen on Sunday, August 9, at approximately 1:30 p.m. When he did not return by 3 p.m., his wife, Rosa Ohm, contacted the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) to file a missing person report. According to Herrera's stepdaughter, Gabby Conde, LAPD officers and park rangers conducted a brief search of the park that lasted only about five minutes before leaving.
"We’re all really disappointed that we didn’t get the help that we needed from the LAPD," Conde told the San Fernando Valley Sun. "If we had, maybe things would have turned out differently."
The family spent the following days creating and distributing missing person flyers and posting information online. They received tips from individuals who believed they had seen Herrera near the lake, with one report indicating he had asked for help after sustaining a head injury.
On the third day of the search, a volunteer participating with the family found Herrera's body in Hansen Dam Lake. The preliminary cause of death was determined to be accidental drowning. The family is awaiting full autopsy results.
Conde stated that when she inquired about using K-9 units for the search, she was told it was not an option due to financial constraints. She also expressed frustration with park rangers' assurances that Herrera was not in the park, despite the family's growing concern.
"I felt like they just didn’t care," Conde said about both the park rangers and LAPD officers. The family is considering requesting an investigation into whether park rangers and officers followed established protocols during the search.
Herrera was described as a nature-loving man who enjoyed the outdoors. His family is now planning funeral services while grappling with questions about the initial response to his disappearance. LAPD had issued missing person and silver alerts for Herrera, though the timeline for these alerts remains unclear.