Man drowns minutes after baptism while trying to rescue girl from Texas lake – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

A Good Samaritan who responded to the scene of a drowning accident in Lake Waxahachie is calling for more safety measures to protect swimmers.

Last weekend, 21-year-old Lincer Lopez died while trying to rescue another swimmer in distress.

NBC 5 spoke to the man who brought Lopez to shore and continues to struggle with this tragedy.

Police were called to Lake Waxahachie on the afternoon of August 24 for a drowning accident. Police said a young girl was having difficulty swimming and 21-year-old Lincer Lopez entered the water to rescue her.

Lopez apparently lost his strength and disappeared into the lake.

“It's just a tragic, tragic thing,” Jacob Bell said. “I'm grateful that I was there, and I still struggle with the fact that I didn't get there fast enough.”

Bell was on a boat nearby and saw the young girl Lopez was trying to rescue. He managed to reach her and bring her to safety.

“I got in my boat, gave her CPR, got her breathing back and got her to shore,” Bell said.

When he got there, witnesses told him that Lopez had not made it back, so Bell returned to the water.

“I ran across the harbor to the lake, swam around, dove, and finally found the boy and brought him to safety,” Bell said. “And he had already died.”

Bell learned that Lopez had been at the lake with a church group and had been baptized in the water just minutes before his death.

Bell said Lopez was carrying another girl to safety and died while trying to save others in distress.

“Lincer was just a hero and went out and helped people,” Bell said.

The rescuer told NBC 5 that he believes more safety precautions need to be taken at Lake Waxahachie following the drowning, including measures such as safety nets or trained lifeguards.

“There are so many kids out there and no one is watching them,” Bell said. “There should be a park officer there, someone trained enough to pull kids out of the lake and resuscitate them, but that just wasn't the case.”

NBC 5 contacted the City of Waxahachie for a response to these concerns. The city responded to NBC 5's inquiry late Monday afternoon, saying:

“Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends who lost a loved one on Saturday. Lake Waxahachie does not have designated lifeguards or water safety personnel, but there are other measures in place to promote the safety of swimmers and boaters. There are currently signs in English and Spanish prohibiting swimming in and around the boat dock and launch area, as well as buoys designating a no-wake area. A life jacket locker is also available where life jackets can be borrowed free of charge to promote individual water safety. As part of an ongoing, recent Boat Dock Park improvement project, buoys designating a swimming-only area where no boaters are allowed are planned to be installed in the near future.”

Supporters have launched an online fundraiser to raise money to send Lopez's body to Mexico for burial.

You can find it by searching for “Help bring Lincer Mejia Lopez home.”