DALLAS — The water is seemingly calm by California Crossing Park in Dallas, but parts of the Elm Fork Trinity River are treacherous, and can be unsurvivable.
On Easter Sunday, 21-year-old Juan Ruben Chel Botzec and 18-year-old Edin Oswaldo Yat Choc were having a family picnic at the park.
Friends of the family say they were getting ready to leave and cleaning the grill, when part of it fell into the river. One young man went after it and got caught in the current. His friend tried to save him and drowned too.
On Wednesday, people gathered at the park frustrated by the slow action of first responders.
Kendra Jimenez and Rebecca Sosa are volunteering their time to the family as translators. The missing individuals are Guatemalan immigrants, who moved to Dallas for work.
“My concern was that there was minimal effort," said Jimenez.
Dallas Fire-Rescue searched on Sunday, but believe the men are dead. This means the rescue becomes a recovery, and police take over the search.
Local activist, Carlos Quintanilla, is involved, hoping to put pressure on the city to find them.
Quintanilla said, “We’re not going to put blame on anybody. We're going to move forward in a spirit of cooperation. We're going to move forward to make sure that the family is made whole.”
At the park, Dallas Police Executive Assistant Chief Martinez met with family and supporters.
“That water is just turning over so strongly, and the currents are so strong that we cannot put divers in there," said Martinez.
Martinez said helicopters, drones, boats, and the dive team looked two miles down river. The search was active on Wednesday, adding cadaver dogs to help.
“We do want to bring them peace, too, to what they're going through," he said.
Jimenez said police told them the canines picked up a scent, but have been unable to pinpoint a location. The dogs are going back and forth in an area, giving search teams more reason to search in the area where they drowned. The water in the Trinity has also been slowed down the water to hopefully assist with the search.
“You just want them to get their children back and have that peace of mind," said Sosa.
And Jimenez added, “Because the father doesn't leave. He sleeps here every night. He won't leave until they find the body, he said.”