RICHLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Police are searching for the body of 39-year-old Danyelle Phillips who is presumed dead in Gull Lake after jumping in to try and save his 15-year-old son.
According to the Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Department, the teen started struggling while swimming and the man jumped in to help him Saturday afternoon. People in a nearby boat reportedly pulled the teen on board, but when they went to help the man he was gone.
Courtesy photo of Danyelle Phillips, 39, taken just before he went missing.
Crews were called to the lake at about 1:45 p.m Saturday. By early evening, authorities on scene told FOX 17 they were considering the search a recovery effort.
By sunset on Saturday, authorities had not located the man and suspended the search for the night.
“A water recovery team will be out here tomorrow morning and the sheriff’s deputies will also be out here and we’ll continue the recovery operation," Kalamazoo County Undersheriff Paul Matyas told FOX 17 Saturday evening. "What we’re asking is for the boaters who do use Gull Lake and those who live on Gull Lake to stay away from the area east of the island.
The teen has since been released from the hospital and is expected to recover.
A Michigan State Police helicopter was brought in to assist with the search. The DNR and the Kalamazoo County Marine Unit also assisted with the search.
“We’re not gonna give up," Matyas said. "We will keep looking until we find him."
Crews returned to the scene around 6:30 Sunday morning to resume their search for Phillips.
