A local family was spending time at Lake Powell on a house boat. On Saturday Sept. 10, 18 month old Aleeyah Janett Bell apparently fell overboard without anyone seeing her. The family searched the boat and could not locate the child. It was assumed she had fallen overboard. She wasn’t wearing a lifejacket at the time. Help was called in to search for the child and they searched until after dark that evening.
They resumed the search on Sunday, Sept. 11 and the child was located on Monday, Sept. 12 just before 2 p.m.
The child had drowned and her body was recovered by a robot as she was in deep water.
The boat at the time of the accident was anchored to a buoy in the Hall’s Crossing area.
The child is from Orangeville and is the daughter of Trinidee Bell. The community is beginning to rally around the family in the aftermath of this tragedy. Naturally Inspired is doing a fundraiser and other area residents have set up a Go-Fund me account to help with expenses. Meran Kay is selling wrist bands in Aleeyah’s memory.
Services for Aleeyah Janett Bell were held on Saturday, Sept. 17. Services and burial were at the Orangeville Cemetery.
The family would like to give a special thanks to the National Park Service, Utah Highway Patrol, Utah State Parks, Local Law Enforcement, All Search and Rescue, and the complete strangers that helped bring their angel back to them.
Her family said she loved chapstick, music, horses and being outdoors. She also loved her dog Rousey, she would not go a lot of places if her dog wasn’t able to come along.
Tragedy for local family at Lake Powell
"Aleeyah Janett Bell."