Young woman sent boyfriend haunting video just before dying in horror accident
Ashley Gil, 20, was out riding a jet ski with pals and sent a video of herself on the watercraft to her boyfriend - but just hours later, she was killed in a terrible accident
A young woman sent a haunting final video to her boyfriend just hours before she vanished and was later found dead in a lake following a freak accident still surrounded in mystery.
Ashley Gil, 20, had been riding a jet ski with two other people on Thursday when she fell into Lake Houston in Texas. Earlier that day, she had sent a video of herself on a jet ski wearing a life jacket to her boyfriend, Jason Campos Rodriquez. Authorities said Gill was not wearing the life jacket when she fell, and her body was recovered from the water later that day.
Rodriquez told ABC13: "My motive here is understanding everything that happened. [I] kind of right away, right away got a sense something's not right."
He claims a man who was out fishing when Gil vanished said there was no urgency from the group she was with to find her. Explaining what the man told him, he said: "To be honest with you, they didn't even pay attention. They didn't even know when they lost her, where they lost her, they looked like they didn't even care."
Rodriquez, who described Gil as "'careful and cautious", has been left stunned and puzzled by her sudden passing, receiving the news while out of town for work. He told KHOU: "When you see someone that has so much potential, leave this world. This is just sad in and of itself, and it's hard to you know accept that she's not here anymore."
The Office of Commissioner Rodney Ellis confirmed the recovery of her body on Thursday. A statement said: "I am deeply saddened to learn that the young woman who went missing on Lake Houston hear Alexander Deussen Park has been found deceased. My heart goes out to her family, her loved ones, and everyone affected by this tragic loss."
Three people were on the jet ski when Gil plunged into the water and didn't return to the surface, Houston Police said. Although she was wearing a life jacket in the clip she sent to Rodriquez, officers believe it was not on when she fell. Alexander Deussen Park closed on Wednesday for searches before reopening on Thursday.
Gill's family have since launched a fundraiser to help cover her funeral costs, writing in a post: "It is with heavy hearts that we share the tragic loss of my beloved sister, Ashley Gil, who passed away after a heartbreaking accident on the lake.
"Ashley fell from a jet ski and, despite all efforts, she did not survive. Ashley was a bright light in the lives of so many, full of love, laughter, and kindness. She had an incredible spirit that touched everyone around her. Her absence leaves a deep void in the hearts of our family, friends, and all who knew her."
It added: "We are starting this GoFundMe to support our family, especially our mother, during this incredibly difficult time. The funds raised will help cover funeral expenses and any additional costs we may face as we grieve and begin to heal.
"If you are able to give, any amount—no matter how small—will mean the world to her loved ones. And if you aren't able to donate, please consider sharing this campaign and keeping Ashley's family in your thoughts and prayers."
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