Austin police continue to investigate after a body was found in Lady Bird Lake on Monday.
The family of a man found dead in the water last April is calling out the city and local law enforcement to do more as the death toll at the lake continues to rise.
“I never in a million years thought my family or myself would be going through this, and I dont want anyone to go through this, and I am sorry this keeps happening and there are no answers for it because its very sad,” says Reegan Aparicio, the mother of Chris Clark’s child.
Tears streamed from Reegan Aparicio’s face as she relived the moments she found out her childs father, 30-year-old Chris Clark, was found dead in Lady Bird Lake in April 2023.
He is one of the five men found dead in the lake in 2023. On Monday, Feb. 5, another person was found dead on the north side of the lake.
“They are not trying to do anything, they just close the cases, and they just deem the death undetermined or a drowning, and then they just move on with no answers, nothing for the families,” says Reegan Aparicio.
In March 2023, the city put up temporary solar lighting, signage, a fence along the trail, and a temporary camera near the trail head.
After 30-year-old Jason John was found dead in Lady Bird Lake on February 13, 2023. He was last seen leaving Rainey Street after a night out with friends on February 5, 2023.
“They need to just have lots of barriers around that lake and there needs to be 24-hour patrol around that lake. There is so much going on where Chris was found. I actually go there often. I have been there in the nighttime and there is nothing that is being done, it is very dark, and you cant see anything once you enter the trails,” says Reegan Aparicio.
The city is budgeting nearly a million dollars to provide long-term safety improvements. This includes a new camera at the trail head, more lighting, and sidewalks along East Avenue, which are expected to be installed by the summer.
A resident riding by the lake on Monday when the body was discovered says he has seen more police presence, but still worries that there is a suspect on the loose.
“In recent months, we have seen Austin police kind of going up and down the trail with their horses, but yeah, with this back it definitely does concern me that they are not able to find out who is doing this,” says Abdul Tabbakha, who lives near Lady Bird Lake.
“I feel like there is a connection and there is something going on at Lady Bird Lake and the police are choosing not to do anything about it. They need to take action. People are hurting out here. My son is 12. He is never going to get his dad back ever. These families that have lost their loved ones are never going to get their loved ones back,” says Reegan Aparicio.
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Following the discovery of 30-year-old Jason John’s body in Lady Bird Lake on February 13, 2023 On February 5, 2023, after spending the night out with friends, he was last seen leaving Rainey Street.
“I believe there is a link and that something is happening at Lady Bird Lake, but the police are choosing to take no action.” They need to take action. People are hurting out here. My son is 12. He is never going to get his dad back ever. Reegan Aparicio states, “These families who have lost loved ones will never get their loved ones back.”
“All they need to do is surround that lake with a lot of barriers and have 24-hour security.” There is so much going on where Chris was found. I actually go there often. Reegan Aparicio says, “I visited there at night, and nothing is being done. It’s very dark, and once you enter the trails, you can’t see anything.”
The city has allocated close to a million dollars for long-term safety upgrades. This includes the installation of sidewalks along East Avenue, additional lighting, and a new camera at the trail head, all of which should be finished by summer.
Reegan Aparicio broke down in tears as she relived the moments she spent learning that her child’s father, 30-year-old Chris Clark, had been discovered dead in Lady Bird Lake in April of 2023.
“It’s imperative that they investigate it,” Smith stated. “I don’t think people are just falling into the lake; I think there is foul play.” I’ve heard conflicting reports; I’ve heard that it’s mostly drunk people, but that can’t be the case for every single one of them. “.
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Austin police claim that none of the cases involve foul play. Some residents are not convinced.
Smith remarked, “I feel horrible for those families because we trust the city to find the truth.” “I believe there is more to it, but sometimes they are taking the simple route and claiming it is not foul play because that is the simplest response for them. “.
Concern is growing along Lady Bird Lake. Five men were found dead in the water last year, and a little more than a month into the new year, a woman’s body was also found there.
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